Adrift: Mercenary Motives
by Princess Alexandria
Summary: Part of the Adrift stories: Christy Taylor (oc) travels realities and lands in the Gargoyles universe. In her attempt to create a place to call home she takes on the battle against the Quarrymen with Demona, and the bigger challenge of trying to woo the immortal gargoyle. femslash.
1. Chapter 1

Arc Title: Adrift in a Room of Mirrors (ARM)

Substory: Mercenary Motives (Gargoyles)

Pairing: Christy Taylor/Demona

Disclaimer: All characters and locations are the property of respective show or book creators, other than the ones that are all mine

Author: Princess Alexandria

Rating: T/R

NOTE: There are a series of stories that start with the same prologue, but this is the version that shows Christy Taylor landing in the Gargoyles universe. These stories used to be posted together, but I am putting them in their own stories now to make them easier to read and easier for me to complete.

 **Prologue – In an Xmen World, far far away.**

Christy took a form that was a good twenty years younger than what she was, because most of the people here were in their early twenties, but clearly not all. As a young college nerd, wearing dark glasses and an Xfiles tshirt she made her way into the convention.

"Miss the X on your clothes?" A blonde woman in her late twenties walked up and spoke quietly, with a slight smirk on her lips. They both pretended to be looking over the list of upcoming panels. Christy took in the True Blood tshirt and tight jeans, before looking away again.

"Not too much." Christy glanced around subtly. The xmen turned on her, for the most part, when her dark past was revealed six months ago. "Which one are you?" She asked, but seeing the wicked tilt of the blonde's lips Christy followed it up with her guess, "Esme?"

"Not too bad shape shifter." Esme nodded and started to walk further into the convention, pretending to glance at the tables of materials. "We're all here. Annie has us guarding all the entrances." Esme picked up a Xena magnet and glanced at the price. "She's not happy with your idea."

"I don't have much holding me here anymore." Christy wandered away from the telepath on guard duty. Her heart ached at the fact she had to call Annie for help, but Annie's luck power gave Christy the best chance she had to start over. Annie was shocked at the stories she'd heard, she was still loyal and caring.

Christy walked passed people dressed in Star Trek costumes, around tables selling Twilight materials, and around a lifesize mannequin of a Terminator as she made her way deeper into the convention. It was hard to appear happy and excited about the Fantasy and Science Fiction Convention she was walking through. She caught the eye of another blonde, and this one wearing a faded Team Alice Cullen tshirt. She wondered briefly if that was Sophie or Phoebe, both were Annie's lovers, but when she just got a nod she moved on to try and find Annie herself.

Christy cut through the tables, between where the sellers worked and came to the stairs she needed. A woman with black hair falling in waves to her mid back started to walk alongside her. Christy glanced to the side and was a surprised to see the light green skin out in the open. "I blend in better as myself here," Annie explained and glanced down at her Star Trek costume. When Christy glanced at it she noticed Annie blushed for a moment before her face became more controlled and her eyes trailed over the floor below. "I don't want you to leave."

"It's hiding or prison for me here," Christy spoke softer, seeing the young girl she'd taken in, hidden in what had become a rather confident woman before her. "I can count the number of people who want me to stay here on one hand Annie, and none of them can be around me when I have such a target on my head." Christy was surprised Annie even asked, even cared, with the disgust so many had voiced about Christy's past. Christy had carefully kept her past to herself, but that new mutant had the power to project her greatest secrets into the night sky and they'd all seen her at her worst. Maybe if she'd admitted to it before then, but she hadn't, and now the Xmen were out for her blood. "I can't win this battle here," She said to the woman next to her. "And I'm just so tired of defending myself from them. Even if they decided to stop this now it's too late. Once Scott called the government on my crimes it was over. I can't ever go back."

"Scott and the Professor called me to ask if I'd seen you." Annie told Christy as yet another blonde came toward them, and this one wore a Gargoyles shirt with Goliath in front of the moon. "I told them no."

"Christy," The telepath interrupted and then shared a concerned look with Annie. "If you want there to be lots of proof you've left the news crew will be set up in a few minutes to film the convention." Christy wanted the audience so that the government wouldn't keep looking, because she knew how they'd work. She didn't want the few people she cared about captured to try and lure her to surrender, and if she weren't there to surrender it would be worse.

"That's perfect." Christy muttered and Annie grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly.

"I want to try something." Annie's eyes seemed to plead for Christy to agree and Christy was startled when two people she didn't know came right toward them. "Raine can copy some powers and transfer it to another person for a little while." Annie nodded to the woman coming their way. "And Doug can boost people's powers, so he can boost hers." Annie turned to stare Christy in the eyes. "I want you to have some luck to get you started in your new life. I want to give you that, so I don't have nightmares of what might be happening to you." Annie knew her too well and easily bypassed any argument Christy would give her. "It's a longshot, but that's what I'm good at. Maybe this will help." Annie gave her a partial smile.

Christy wanted to hurry before they were caught. Still she nodded her head for a questionable experiment that might not even work on her, since her body makeup wasn't typical. Raine held Annie and Christy's hand while Doug stood behind Raine gripping her neck in a large hand from behind. Christy didn't know these two, and wondered if Annie had hunted them down for her, because Annie didn't seem to hold that normal open expression she held near friends with them.

"Sophie." Annie spoke as the blonde's eyes widened.

"Military, coming in fast. We also sense the Xmen. This is going to be a battle if we don't move now." Sophie told them and Christy nodded, before giving Annie one last hug.

The scream of her power startled all the people on the floor below and Christy stood up on the railing as the portal she to another world opened up above their heads. She waited until the cameras of the tv crews moved to focus on the swirling light before she leapt into the portal trusting the luck Annie filled her with to pick her destination. From a place like this, with reminders of so many different realities Christy could end up almost anywhere.

Christy didn't want to land in something similar to what she'd just been in. She didn't want to stare into familiar faces and wonder if they'd hate her like these people had. Christy wanted a completely different world. No more mutants. Thoughts of all the possibilities filled her mind and for once, she appreciated what her power could offer her.

The light around her finally changed as the exit to her ride approached.

IN THE GARGOYLES UNIVERSE

Dominique Destine was not having a good day. She let out a huff of irritation as she crossed her arms and stared at the gun toting fool in front of her. It was a simple trip to the bank, so it was very disappointing to find herself being held hostage by a group of human scum with guns.

"Take it easy, unless you want the newspapers to have stories about how the CEO of Nightstone is bulletproof," a whisper near her ear. Before these men came in she'd been irritated to find Fox Xanatos in the bank. That had been bad enough to completely ruin her mood, and then these clowns came in.

Ignoring Fox she leaned up against the wall waiting as the braintrust of this little group struggled with what to do about the cops outside. Fox was to her left, and the mass of humans were to her right. The brunette woman next to her muttered under her breath. "This is supposed to be luck? I want a refund Annie." It was only noteworthy because it wasn't panicked or scared sounding. The woman talked to herself quietly just the once. That human stood as if not too concerned. That was much better company than the woman who wouldn't stop crying or the man who managed to shit himself when the warning gun shots went off.

After an hour of the bank robbers moving around, along with demands to keep quiet and a few threats to shoot someone if that blubbering old woman didn't shut up, Dominique develped an angry tick in her eye. Her day got a worse when the police call came through and they all heard how this was a much better organized crime than they realized.

"I don't think you realize what we have in here." The braintrust growled into the phone. "I have twenty two hostages, and it's the two that you are going to bend over and let me do you for." The vulgarity wasn't new. They'd been hearing similar comments from a few of these men. "I have Fox Xanatos and Dominique Destine in here."

Dominique glanced at the woman on her left. The shared look said it all, and a temporary alliance was in place. In her true form it would be a challenge to get out of this, but there were still several hours until nightfall.

…

Christy felt some disbelief until one of the redheads shifted her body and showed the blue tattoo that verified this was Fox and the other could be Demona in human form. She averted her eyes before either of the women noticed her.

Christy had been walking in the door when the guns went off, or she would have had time to recognize the signs, but still she'd calmly let them order her about. It wouldn't have paid to make it too obvious she wasn't a typical human when she was still trying to figure out where she had landed.

Not in this world for even six hours and she was sitting next to Demona. Christy watched the leader of the people holding them hostage. She didn't like the occasional looks he sent the redheads.

"We'll give you ten." The leader smirked and looked over the hostages. "Good faith and all, but you aren't getting any fire crotches. Get to work on the plane like I told you and I might consider giving you one." Christy didn't for a minute believe he'd more than think about it and say he was keeping them. He looked like a man who believed he had a get out of jail card. "And don't tell me you can't get a plane. I'm sure Xanatos has one. I'm sure he has a lot of things that will be useful."

The training and experience Christy had gave her a good idea of what these men would be looking for in a hostage they planned to keep, so she looked down at the floor and moved her arms to tighter to her body while twisting her hands nervously. With no one seeing her face she used her powers to darken her lips a little and to outline her eyes, instant makeup being nothing to a shape shifter.

A man roughly grabbed her chin and pulled her head up to look at him and she shied away. His gun was on his hip and his stance would mean that a good hit to his knee would take him down to the ground. She proceeded to play helpless and easily controlled, because she was trying to be picked to stay here where she could cause the most damage.

As they did marched some hostages out to meet the police Christy turned to the redheads and caught Fox's eyes. She let her own fake helplessness fade away before nodding. Fox's eyes widened for a moment before nodding back.

Men, older women, and that woman that annoyed them all by crying like it would help all left. Christy took in the nine other hostages and frowned. There were six young women and three men, two of which were young and small and a third that was old enough to be unable to run.

"Get up, Get up," a loud voice jerked her attention back to the middle of the room. She remembered to not look like she was challenging any of them. She got to her feet and ignored that one young woman to her right was so scared she was having trouble. That woman was jerked to her feet and screamed in fear.

Christy marched in a line and the luck that Annie tried to give her showed up, because there were four offices they were splitting the hostages up into three at a time. Christy went in with the redheads. "Don't fuck with us and you might all live, might," a man said and then slammed the door behind him.

Christy could tell a lot had been taken out of the room, like the phone, or any letter openers. She moved closer to the women even as she heard some crying in the office next to them. The walls weren't thick. It made her more cautious.

"My name is Christy. I counted eight," Christy told them. She'd had to look at the body language to know if she was counting someone more than once, because they all dressed alike and had masks over their faces. "But I think one of the hostages is in on this."

"The brunette with the blue suit," Fox answered her. "The one I came here to see."

"That hu… woman was in on this." Dominique hissed. "I was called in to deal with some paperwork." Dominique looked ready to kill and Christy could fully understand that. To the gargoyle it would be just yet another betrayal by humans.

Christy wasn't sure how to handle these two women with her. Admitting she knew too much in this situation could cause distrust when they could least afford it, but she did need to be taken seriously and to let them know they had more in their arsenal than they realized. How could she tell these two women, neither of which were human, that she wasn't either? They needed all their advantages, and if Fox or Dominique were watching what they did around her it would handicap them. Christy also needed help getting out of this without seeing any police, because she didn't exist in this world.

….

Demona paced like a caged animal and glared at Fox when the calm woman sitting on the desk gave her a head shake for doing it.

"We'll be out of here for dinnertime." Christy promised quietly and that had Demona wondering if they'd gotten an insane woman.

"Too much faith in the police?" Demona snarled at the brunette. "They're probably ordering lunch now and calling their families to say they won't be home tonight at all, so get comfortable."

It was clear this woman was a warrior, her lack of concern was surprising though. But then again, Fox was sitting comfortably too. Only Demona had a time limit for how long this could last before it caused her trouble.

Christy stared at Demona in a way that puzzled her. "IF I could end this in time for dinner, would you be willing to give me something?"

"I'm already being held captive, most likely they plan to make me pay my own kidnapping ransom. What do you want to add to my day?"

Christy said. "I can make all that go away, but it's going to cause me problems."

"What are you thinking of doing?" Fox sounded very curious and Demona stared at Christy seeing if they'd get an answer.

"I've been in much worse situations with a lot more bastards to worry about. I can take them out rather quickly." Christy seemed to be holding something back. "but then I'll have to avoid the police, sneak out of here, and change up my appearance until I find out if anyone has a good idea of what I look like, because the police won't get all nine of their bad guys back in one piece."

"So, since I'm going to have to watch my back if I take care of this mess, rather than wait for someone else to do it." Christy stared at Demona.

"If you're that confident, I am sure I can pay a mercenary to clean this up," Fox said, "but then again, I wouldn't mind getting my hands a little dirty again myself."

Christy smiled and glanced over at Fox. "If you want to toss money my way I won't turn it down. I do need to find a place to live after all, but my deal is for Dominique." Demona watched the brunette look at her again. She saw too much confidence in those eyes. "It won't cost you anything but time, and you have plenty of that don't you?" Demona frowned at that. "I want three dates." Demona's eyes widened in shock. "I won't expect any kissing or anything like that, but you and I will spend time together talking, having fun, doing something."

"Are you crazy?" Demona said.

Christy proved she was with her next words. "Now, if one of us planned the date the other would get veto rights, and each date would last at least 2 hours, where you do not ignore that I am there. I don't want you putting it off forever either, these would happen all in the next month."

Fox was chuckling and Demona turned to glare at her before turning her glare back to the idiotic human female trying to blackmail her into this. "And after all this would the pictures suddenly make it possible for you to blackmail me for money as well? Just ask for the damned money up front!"

Christy seemed a bit taken aback for a moment. "No, I really am after some time with you and I know you don't give that out to just anyone. I guess you could say my being here for this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I have to strike while the irons hot, because my luck won't last forever." That made absolutely no sense to Demona, unless Christy was hoping to sway Nightstone into doing something.

"Come on Dominique, take the woman up on the offer." Fox taunted her and Demona gave her another glare. "Or I will." Fox laughed.

Christy looked amused and Demona took a step towards her ready to wipe that stupid grin off her face. Just her moving removed that look and Christy said. "I'll give you a free sample of what I can do, because I can tell they are checking in on every room and someone will be coming in here soon." How could Christy know this? "You'll see a small sample of my work and can decide if you want me to fix this. The price is just six hours of your time spread out over a month." She spoke and it was soft, as if she were trying to persuade Demona that this insanity was okay. "And I won't use that time to hurt you, trick you, or annoy you." Christy gave her a small smile.

"I seriously doubt you can avoid annoying me." Demona huffed and turned away from the woman. Silence filled the room as they waited for what Christy said was coming. Christy stared at the wall while her fists clench.

"Incoming," the woman sad, and then moved to the corner of the room and slid down the wall until she was hunched in the corner.

The door opened and a gun toting fool walked in. If he was alone she could wipe that look off his face. If she were in her true form no male would dare leer at her like that, and no strange woman would try to convince her to let herself be blackmailed into dates. "We're releasing three more hostages." His voice was deep and darkly amused as he glanced at Christy again. With the masks, all they could see of any of them were their eyes, but his said more than enough. Demona knew better than to think her or Fox would be released. They'd eventually have to fight their way out. "I thought I'd check and see if anyone in here is willing to barter for freedom."

Two men in the hall chuckled and Demona's fists clenched at the disgusting human slime. "With what? You already took our money and valuables." Christy sounded so naive. Christy slowly, timidly, stood up and took a tentative step closer, as if being lured to him and the male looked smug and dangerous.

Christy was actually luring that man in. She had some sort of plan. This was supposed to be her sales pitch for the deal she wanted to seal with Demona. Demona wanted to see what this woman thought she could do that would make Demona agree to anything.

…

Christy had heard these men talking in the hall. The man in the room had bet the other men with him that they could get a blow job in each and every one of the offices holding hostages. She wasn't sure if this was the end of their cycle of humiliating people or the middle. She hadn't been paying attention until these men had moved next door.

The girl next door was still crying. Christy pushed that thought out of her head as she stood and leaned up against the desk. She wanted this to appear easier than it really was, because she not only needed to get the job done, she needed to impress Demona.

Fox's interest would already be won, and if Christy needed to talk to her again she could. It was Demona that was the hard one, and the dangerous one. Demona was not completely wrong her in claims that humans were causing the end of her species, and she was right that something needed to be done. Demona was going at it like she was committing surgery with a chainsaw. Christy needed to get her to listen enough to at least show Demona how to use a scalpel, and to target the humans causing the most trouble. That was the only way to really protect the gargoyles, but years of bitterness had blinded Demona to that. Christy had spent the past few years doing exactly what she was talking about, targeted assassinations of character or a few regular assassinations. Before the Xmen had tossed her out she had been the surgical strike against those with too much power and hatred.

She knew just enough to realize that the clan in this world could be even worse than the Xmen had been. After how Christy was treated in the last world when they found out about her past she was planning to be more cautious. Demona would be an ally that could help if it came down to that. She'd asked for dates just to buy time and try and get the prickly female to listen, but she wouldn't be opposed to it if it became more.

The man in the ski mask stared at her and Christy made her breathing come out a little panicked. "What do you want?" He ran his free hand down his body and squeezed his balls. "Sex?" Christy's eyes widened and she manipulated her eyes enough to make a few tears fall.

"If you give a good enough Blow Job, I'm sure we could put your name on that list of the people we release next," he said. She needed him to say more.

"But I've never, I mean." Christy blushed and watched how he had to shift his stance as his pants grew tighter on him.

"Virgin? Really? Open up your shirt." Christy gritted her teeth and undid a few buttons, making sure to enhance what she could of her breasts without being too obvious about it. "Oh nice melons babe." She had gotten a few examples of tone, had a good grasp of his cadence. Voices were always harder for her.

Christy moved away from the door approaching him. "I don't want to stay here." She stood in front of him like a sacrifice and then glanced at the doorway. "But," She blushed as if the men watching was just too much.

The man shifted and Christy moved quickly lashing a foot out at the door while grabbing the man's head. With a quick jerk of her arms, using as much strength as she could she snapped his neck as the door slammed.

His voice came from her lips, "Don't need you Homo's staring at my junk." She lowered him to the ground, and glanced over at the women watching her. She didn't say anything but she took the gun from the man and anything else in his pockets or on his body that might need to come off and be handed to someone else. She then ripped his ski mask off and stared at his features, shifting his lolling head until she had it all. With the mask in hand she stood up and shifted.

Two women gasped behind her and she turned to face them. She whispered in her own voice. "So do I let these men catch me now and call it a day, or do I go out there and end this for you," she asked Demona. Her powers intrigued Demona, like Christy suspected they might.

Demona didn't answer quickly so Christy had to shift her voice. "I'll rip your fucking hair out if you bite down." She acted like that blow job was about to start. "If it helps," She whispered in her own voice. "I know that dead bastard is the only human in the room." That widened Fox's eyes, but Demona didn't look surprised.

Demona nodded. "Three dates. You get me out of this by nightfall, I'll do three dates." It sounded like a business agreement, but Christy grinned before pulling the ski mask on and lifting the dead man up. She hid him under the desk.

"Someone needs to pretend to comfort 'me' after this rape so they don't question why they don't see 'me." She told them as she tucked him in carefully. "And make sure you look like you'd love to kill me." Christy smiled and then took a deep breath and looked away from them. She couldn't look at them and do this.

"Suck it you bitch!" She growled out and moved carefully back to the middle of the room, so the sound would be right for those listening outside the door. She focused on listening and giving out embarrassing noises, ending with crying out in her own voice and a slammed fist against her other hand to make a slapping sound. "Man, we can't let a cock sucker like you go. It would be criminal not to use those talents," she said in his voice. Fox shocked her by filling in crying at the same moment so two voices were in action. She leaned down, nodded to Christy, and kept that sound up while hiding her face and pretended to be comforting the 'girl'. It made it so Christy could walk out of the room with the sounds of tears behind her.

….

Demona watched the door close before moving to the other side of the desk to examine the body.

"quick, clean." Fox was already checking it out. "Snapping a neck like that without any momentum going takes strength." Demona nodded and knelt down to look at the damage herself. In her human form Demona wouldn't have been able to do this. She knew it.

Her agreeing to that insane condition now had little to do with getting out of here before her own secret came out and more about giving her the time she needed to learn Christy's secrets.

….

Christy was dismayed to realize they had another office to visit. The two men with her were impressed with the last words 'he'd' given the woman in her office, and were joking about keeping the women weak enough to offer busy until this mess was over. Christy laughed and planned with the worst of them, but she had already decided that these two were going to be dead before the police came in.

"Okay, after this one I say we draw straws for the last office." The shorter of the two men with Christy said, while grinning at what was to be his office.

"Hell no man, that's the men's room." Christy muttered, making her guess based on the voices she'd heard in the office next to hers and the ones in front of them.

"Just two men and one woman." Shorty smirked. "I have a guy in this one, and I didn't back out."

"Yeah, you think that old man will offer to suck you? Get real you're safe here." The taller of the men with Christy shook his head. Christy was unsure how homophobic to act.

"You said every room man." The shorter man chuckled. "I say we don't pay up unless it's every room."

"Ah fuck." Christy grumbled and then nodded. She wasn't planning for them to get that far, but she was pretty sure these men underestimated the will to survive.

As they stood outside of the next room Christy cursed her need to take these men out quietly. She tried coming up with a plan that didn't have the short man going in there, but she couldn't take out both without making a sound or a mess. She needed to do this one at a time, carefully, and her stomach felt sick as she watched the shorter man step into the office.

When he found his victim he took Christy's lead and closed the door. Christy repeated her move snapping the taller man's neck as the door slammed shut. She then supported his weight and looked around for a place to hide the body. Flinging him over her shoulder she made her way to the copy room which she could hear was empty. The body ended up stuffed under the sink.

She was at the door and could hear the grunting of the man in there. She took a deep breath just after she heard him orgasm and took a stance that indicated she was amused at the success of the plan. She was grateful for the ski mask though, because she didn't have to smile as she did this.

He came out looking so satisfied with himself. "Okay, so far you were right." The short man glanced around. "Hey, where did he go?"

"Got so hard listening to you he had to take a break and hit the john," Christy joked and it worked. Shorty was walking with her to the fourth office.

"Oh, just so you know." Shorty looked smug as he looked over at her. "Cheryl's in this one. You'll have to take a hummer from a dude, because she won't give it." Christy quickly realized Cheryl was the inside man on this operation and took on the proper disgusted body language. "Either that, or you lose and I'll get ten percent of your take."

"That's fucking entrapment man," Christy growled, but then she noticed the broom closet and listened for any people in the area. The short man barely began to gloat when she spun around and crushed his throat. She would have preferred a more brutal ending, but he suffocated while she pulled him into the closet.

Since she had more samples of the short man's voice, and his mannerisms, Christy shifted again, losing a little height.

Moving like a man who had just pulled off the prank of the century Christy walked towards the sound of motion. She needed to figure out where the remaining five men were. She took in the layout of the place, but she also was trying to decide how lethal she needed to be with the remainder of the group. She still had to live in this world, and being labeled an unremorseful killer had hurt her in the past. She was going to make an attempt to leave the rest alive.

She found one man coming out of the men's room. He ended up unconscious on the floor of the ladies room. She bumped into another man just outside of the now opened vault, and she hit him hard enough to send him to the ground.

"Hey man, you okay?" a voice called out. Christy moved to look in and see the other three men all in there putting cash in bags.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She walked into the room with a cold look on her borrowed face. Someone noticed something wrong, but she kicked him, and then Christy slammed her fist into another guy.

"Jesus Ted." The leader of this mess stood with a gun in his hand staring at Christy. The gunshot echoed in the vault. She grabbed the man by the back of the neck and slammed his head hard into the table in the middle of the room.

That gunshot was going to make the police nervous, so she started to move faster. She needed to set the scene. Running across the building she yanked out the body of Ted and quickly dragged him to the vault. That bastard was going to be toted as a hero or a greedy bastard. She picked up the gun the leader had used and shot Ted in the throat. Two shots, so she knew her time was almost out. Police were probably organizing now.

The bag on the table snagged on her as she turned to leave and Christy caught it before it fell without even thinking about it. She was in a hurry, but as she stared down at the sack of fifty dollar bills Christy considered that she had nothing to start her new life with. She ran while creating pants with several pockets and she pulled pile after pile of bills out of the bag and shoved them in her pockets. She felt the awkward full feeling she got when she stored too much inside of her body, but she just used the keys to unlock the office, and locked them all back inside again.

She could hear the police rushing the front doors. "I was here the whole time." Christy gave them a smug smile. "It's almost over." She shifted her features, keeping her hair color the same, as some people might notice that much. She switched her eye color, the shape of her chin, many different features. "Will it work?"

"You don't look anything like you," Fox reassured her.

Christy stared into the studying gaze of Dominique Destine. "I'll contact you about our first date."

The office door was kicked in and Christy turned to stare at the police officer with shocked and scared eyes playing up the helpless role. He nodded to them and with his hands indicated they should stay here. Christy was done being able to talk. Now she needed to escape the police before her debriefing.

….

"I live in the tall building with the castle on it." Fox's breath tickled Christy's ear. The police were pulling Fox and Dominique out separately when Fox had grabbed Christy's arm and gave the police a cold look when they moved to stop her. Christy wasn't sure Fox had done her a favor, because these two redheads were going to get more attention to the three of them than Christy would prefer. "You said you needed a place to live. Come by after I get home and I'll see what I can do."

Fox pulled away after that and Christy glanced at the other redhead who was giving her a suspicious glance before turning it to Fox. The police escorted them out of the bank and into a very crowded street. People were roped off from the building itself. She knew she'd appear in photos as journalists kept taking pictures, but that was why she was in this form, to avoid being recognized later.

A tall dark haired man with a goatee strode toward them and Fox's smile indicated that this was her husband. "Be ready, your distraction is on the way." Fox muttered under her breath and Christy smirked as she realized Fox was planning to help out. The woman kind of reminded Christy of Mystique.

"David!" Fox's voice rose and she took a few strong steps toward the man even as he made his way to her. It was a movie type of embrace, as he found himself whipping Fox around, her feet not touching the ground, before Fox planted an amazing kiss on him.

Flashes from cameras were nearly blinding. Christy pretended to stumble, and then slipped into the mass of bodies being kept back by the police. Once she was passed the first layer of bodies she shifted to a non-descript man of her same size and waded back a bit further before switching to a woman she'd seen in the front row. She moved sideways until she could bend down and shift again. That kiss was going on forever and when Christy stood up and glanced around no one had noticed her do anything. They were so focused on a very heated kiss. Fox pulled back and glanced around. Christy watched Fox trying to spot her and grinned, but when Christy's eyes moved to Dominique's that woman was staring right at her. She hadn't been distracted by Fox's display. Christy nodded her head and then the police ushered the two redheads away, and started to look a bit frantically for the missing third.

It might have been easier to shift to a child with the smaller size making it possible to work her way backwards out of the crowd, but with her legs filled with her own stolen money, Christy was forced to maintain mass. She was jostled and a few people swore at her as she made her way out.

She'd been looking for lunch hours ago when she'd gone into the bank for change for a bill the vendor wouldn't take. Now she was going to find a place to sit down, eat, and perhaps read a newspaper, and get to know her new home. She had a dinner date with Fox tonight, apparently, and she suspected she'd be moving in at least for a little while.

…..

After a late lunch Christy made her way towards the tall building Fox mentioned. She sat in it's shadow taking in the habits of the people there. She bought a book and waited for Fox to get home. She was in the form of a very fit and muscular man to keep the other men from bothering her too much. The added mass also helped to keep her from being too uncomfortable with the load of money she had on her.

The limousine stopped in front of the building at nearly five. Fox and David Xanatos got out and walked into the building. She didn't follow just yet. She made her way into a bar and waited for the five o'clock news to see what was being said about the bank robbery.

An hour after sunset, Christy walked into the Xanatos building in her own form and moved to the security desk.


	2. Chapter 2

"Would you like me to show you to your room?" Fox asked, her smile flirtatious.

Fox's husband, who had thanked her for helping Fox, brought out the wine and tried to put Christy as ease. Christy had been dodging questions about her origins and powers since they sat down, because she felt the mystery was better for her at the moment. Knowing what she did of David Xanatos made Christy pay more attention to everything he did. He kept his face clear of his thoughts.

Christy had been 'visiting' for an hour now. Fox had been rather seductive, and Christy wondered at the wisdom of accepting any offer to stay here, but until she had what she wanted out of Demona it was the best place for her to be. Fox's husband looked amused. They could play their little game, but Christy wasn't a fool. This particular couple was open to anything, and they most likely thought Christy's interest in Demona was the start of a contest they could play.

"Sure, let's see this room." Christy said while thinking of the conversation she'd have to have with this woman at a later date. She wanted at least one good nights sleep out of this visit and a month long stay would give her enough time to establish some sort of identity.

As they made their way to the hall Fox's eyes became serious. She said, "You may want to avoid the floor above this one at night." Christy knew gargoyles lived here. She nodded in agreement. It was interesting that Fox's alliance with them was loose enough that Fox wasn't revealing Christy just yet. Christy wasn't sure if that was a favor being granted or not.

The room was like an upscale hotel room with a beautiful view of the city. Christy endured Fox's teasing looks until she was left alone. At that point Christy finally managed to get the stolen money out of her legs. She sat on the couch and stared out at a city that was both familiar and not. She'd left a New York twenty years in the future, but with a city like this there were many familiar looking buildings.

…

"So why would a woman like you need to steal a hundred and fifty thousand dollars?" The cold accusation surprised Fox. She turned to see Elisa standing in the kitchen doorway. It was nearly sunset, which explained her presence if not her question. Elisa dropped by to visit the clan, but was using the opportunity to accuse Fox of something.

"For spending money, a shopping spree?" Fox teased, before becoming more serious. "I don't know what you're talking about Detective, but I'm intrigued. Why am I being accused of theft?"

"That bank robbery you were involved in has too many unanswered questions, including that missing money." Elisa crossed her arms in front of her and stared at Fox. Even with the audience Fox couldn't help but smirk as she realized who had stolen that money. "So why did you do it?"

"I didn't," Fox said. "Despite what you are suggesting, I was actually the victim in that robbery and kidnapping scheme Detective." Fox knew her grin looked guilty as hell, but she didn't care. This wasn't Elisa's case, and Fox was actually innocent. Fox just admired the guts, the sheer balls, it took to turn that situation around like Christy did and come out of the bank having completed the robbery she was stopping.

"You like playing games with people, I wouldn't put it passed you." Elisa glared at her.

"Oh, I am not saying I wouldn't have done it, but I didn't do it," Fox said. "I should also say that Demona didn't do it either. I know you'll accuse her next, but we were both locked up together, and she never left my side." Elisa did know better than to think Fox and Demona were out robbing banks together. They may have committed crimes in the past, but never together, and never with the same goals. "So your two favorite suspects are innocent this time Detective." Fox gave Elisa a flirtatious grin, "You'll have to look harder, or you would if it were actually your case."

"The police have no idea how the money was stolen. The man who went insane and killed or attacked the other robbers had no blood in his lungs, and he should have if he'd died of that gunshot wound." Elisa shook her head. "One of the victims disappeared, and it was like she vanished into thin air. Did something unusual happen in there?" Elisa asked.

"The three men who died were all rapists." Fox said. "They went into the offices and tricked desperate women into sex." Fox was firmly in support of the punishment those men got. "Demona and I were the real targets the entire time. The bank robbery was just icing on the cake. They'd planned to ransom us off, and given that there were rapists running around they might have been planning more." Elisa's eyes narrowed as Fox said that. "I intend to use my money, and none of that is the stolen money you are talking about, to make sure every last one of those people gets the strongest sentence they can get."

Fox paused and considered her new house guest. She couldn't keep her a secret forever. Christy had gone out today claiming she had errands to run. She wasn't back yet. "As for unusual, there was something. They locked us up in groups of threes. Our third did leave the office, but I didn't tell the police about that."

"Why?" Elisa's eyes were accusing.

"Because she shape shifted and left as the rapist that came into our office." Fox paused as the look of shock and disbelief crossed Elisa's face. "She killed him and assumed his form." Fox sighed. "It gets even stranger."

"You'd think I would find that hard to believe," Elisa muttered.

"She only left the office to end the siege after she got Demona to promise her three dates. She was just going to sit back and wait for the police to handle it if she didn't get those dates." Elisa's eyes widen. "Demona held out until she realized that woman wasn't human. And that woman knew that Demona needed to be out of there before nightfall." Fox was still confused as to what the dates were about. It was amusing, but she wasn't sure what Christy was thinking. If Christy thought she'd get the gargoyle to fall in love with her she was delusional, and Christy didn't seem delusional.

"Oh my god, what does this mean?" Elisa seemed to pale.

Fox smirked. "It means that Demona has been bribed into lesbianism." Elisa glared at Fox. It meant a lot more than that, but that was the part that Fox found hilarious.

"How the hell are we going to find a shape shifter?" Elisa said and started to pace.

"Well, if she comes back like she said she would, I guess we can just wait near the elevator." Fox grinned. "You didn't think I'd let her get away, did you?"

…..

When Christy called Demona the gargoyle in human form sent whoever was in her office away so she could answer Christy's question. The gargoyle had created a strong fake identity, and Christy had gotten her contacts so that she could start working on her own. Christy had also arranged a brief meeting to discuss their first date, but it was for tomorrow.

She'd spent a tiring day doing the legwork to find the man, and then spent a very long time fleshing out what she wanted to be in this new identity. It felt like an odd personal quiz as Christy selected her details. She was having to change her birth year to accommodate the age she chose to be. She also picked her college and education, her family history, her job history, she even picked a list of cars that would have been in her name over the past few years. The detail her contact asked for was reassuring, and explained why no one questioned how Dominique Destine seemed to come out of nowhere.

All of her errands together took quite a while and it was dark when she wandered back to Xanatos Enterprises. Hopefully tonight would not be the night Christy had to explain to Fox that while Fox was extremely sexy Christy wasn't interested right now.

Fox would be a fun fling. The life of a spy really was conducive to flings, and at times it was actually necessary to have them. In the beginning Christy had a hard time when she and her partner found they were being watched and they had to seem 'like a real couple' so that their cover wasn't blown. Eventually she just accepted it. She'd even found herself having to seduce someone for information a couple of times, and that made her sick to her stomach, but lives were at stake and she did it. Fox wouldn't be a hardship, she was sex personified, and her husband was clearly not concerned, but Christy wasn't going to do that while she was trying to date someone who might have the potential of being a real lover. Christy wasn't thinking she was making a commitment to Demona at this point. They might not even get along, but she didn't want to find out she wanted that and have her 'playtime' with Fox get in the way.

She was barely out of the elevator, when Fox walked towards her. "Did you get your errands done?" Fox asked.

"Yeah, I did." Christy could hear the shuffling of people in the kitchen even from here.

"I have some people I'd like you to meet tonight," Fox told her and Christy's mood soured as she guessed who they would be. "You do know about gargoyles right?" Christy almost rolled her eyes, as she just nodded. Fox started to herd her towards the kitchen. "The local clan lives here in the castle. They wanted to meet you."

"Great." She anticipated being greeted as if she were the enemy among them. Fox may have told them things that would make this meeting a bit more difficult. Christy hoped that they would get over her killing those men, but she was pretty sure her wanting to date Demona was not going to be well received if they knew about that.

Christy had not seen a gargoyle in their true form. She'd seen many mutants, some very different looking, but seeing a group of very similar looking inhuman people was interesting. They ranged in size, body shape, color, but they all shared a certain wildness. Their loincloth appearance and naked flesh made them stand out even more. The dress on the female was only slightly less savage seeming. The gargoyles themselves stared with curiosity that didn't seem dangerous. Christy could put a name with everyone. They had just finished having dinner, and it looked like a toddler was involved. Broadway was cleaning the mess on the counter up. He was the messiest cook she'd ever seen.

Christy glanced around, noting the entrances and the location of everyone in a way that she tended to do when stressed. There were six gargoyles, and one human woman in there. The human was studying Christy.

"Guys, this is Christy." Fox said. She then pointed out the gargoyles and introduced all of them, running past the names of Lexington, Broadway, Brooklyn, Hudson, Angela and Bronx, who Christy hadn't seen in her first glance, before encouraging Christy to walk up to Goliath. "And this is the clan leader Goliath," Fox glanced at the human at his side. "And Detective Maza." Fox let Christy know that Maza was a cop, but then Christy knew that already. She could see the badge on her belt, the bulge in her jacket, and the accusation in her eyes. She wouldn't have needed the information she had from her own world to know this woman was a cop.

The polite introductions were boring and Christy barely paid attention to the 'good to meet you's' as she took inventory of the atmosphere. The clan was confused, curious, but not too upset just yet. Elisa was the tense one in the room. "So, are you a Fey?" Goliath asked.

"No, I'm something else." She glanced over at Fox, knowing that woman was more than eager to know. "A shape shifter." These people didn't know about mutants like her, and even as a mutant Christy was one of a kind. Christy kept it simple for them.

"Cool, what can you do?" Lexington said and his voice even sounded nerdy. Christy gave him an indulgent smile and shifted her form into that of Fox. She'd had more than enough time with the woman to do that, and more than enough sample of her voice to make it work. Several eyes, including Fox's widened.

"Lexington, could you watch Alexander for me while I show our guest the castle?" Christy had the inflection perfect. Lex started to nod as if agreeing to what she said before he stopped himself. Christy grinned and glanced around at the gargoyles, but their body shape was too different for her to use on the fly like this, so she went with a copy of someone from her last world. She stood before the gargoyles as Bobby Drake. He was a friendly looking guy and she gave them a grin. "Learning to do men took what felt like forever, but I do have it down now." Her voice was deeper and masculine. Christy shifted back to her own form and waited.

"Whoa." Brooklyn let the word out like a breath of air.

"Are you a New Olympian?" Angela asked. They were a very secretive race that a few of the clan had run into, but the majority of the world didn't know they existed. They did, however, have one shape shifter, a psychopath, so it would obviously come up.

"What? A no." Christy feigned confusion. "I'm alone, I have no people." She admitted. She pulled an empty chair out and sat.

As expected Detective Maza started to talk as soon as Christy sat down. Christy had been able to guess from her body language Elisa had barely been able to wait until the introductions were done. "You were in the bank when the robbery took place."

Christy sighed heavily. "Yes, and I decided to end the siege as quickly as I could." She glanced at Fox, before turning her attention back to the cop. Christy knew who had to have told Elisa. "When that man came into the room to rape me I thought it was a good time to end the mess before one of the captives got killed. Sadly I didn't manage to do it before some got hurt." Christy frowned as she thought about the woman that had been raped after Christy started to work against the men. She didn't bring it up here, because no one but her knew she'd had to make the choice to do nothing. She stared into Elisa's dark eyes. "I killed three men, all rapists, and I did that to make sure that I could finish the job without gunfire. I didn't want the hostages to get hit by a stray bullet. The way I did it, only one man got off one shot against me."

She could hear fidgeting of the clan. "You saved those people." Broadway muttered and Christy couldn't stop a small smile at the comment.

"Yes you did," Goliath said and he gave Elisa a puzzled look. "Sometimes it is necessary to kill your foe. It isn't preferable, especially now with the law having enough power to help, but it isn't always avoidable. Even the police will shoot to kill at times."

"But that's the police." Elisa looked at him and Christy could almost see a lover's spat happening between their eyes before Elisa shook it off and turned to stare at Christy again. "And police aren't supposed to steal money on the way out of the bank."

"They stole money?" Christy's voice rose in shock. Elisa's strongly convicted chin fell, but Christy kept the look of surprise on her face.

"No, they didn't," Elisa spoke slower, glaring at Christy. "But money is missing."

Christy turned to look at Fox. "Did they catch the inside man?"

"They have her in custody." Fox said with rampant amusement in her eyes. Fox knew who took the money, and clearly wasn't upset about it. "Perhaps she wasn't the only one?"

"Could be." Christy muttered and turned to look at Elisa, as if just realizing what the cop was insinuating. "You think? But I couldn't talk with the police. I don't have a human identity."

Watching the doubt in a few eyes was gratifying. She then glanced around and could see some confusion as well. "Why don't you have ID when you could be just about anyone?" Broadway asked.

Christy frowned. "I haven't been here long. I don't know how much you all know about realities? Dimensions?" She glanced around and saw some recognition of the words at least. "I lived on a different Earth until yesterday. I wandered into that bank for change so I could get my first meal here and ended up in the middle of that mess."

"A friend of mine did a," Christy thought of what they'd understand, "luck spell on me right before I left that world. She was worried about me. I had no idea how powerful it was, but it had to be her spell that put me in that office with two of the few women in the city who would believe me when I said I wasn't human. Who would help me cover up my involvement."

"Is that why you asked Dominique out? You were feeling lucky?" Fox smirked at her.

"Hey, I wanted to see if it was every type of lucky in that spell." Christy gave Fox a teasing smile. "I've got a date with a millionaire." She sang as if it were a joke, and as if she weren't speaking to a millionaire.

"But, Dem," Brooklyn's words were a stammered burst that faded out quickly, as he looked at Goliath helplessly.

"You do know that Dominique Destine believed you weren't human for a reason, right?" Goliath said sounding stern and serious.

"I know she's not a human either. She's really a gargoyle." Christy confirmed, even though she didn't know what she'd say if anyone asked her where this knowledge was coming from. Hopefully they were so used to weird they just rolled with it. "It's just three dates. We'll see if there's a spark and part ways if there isn't. It's no big deal. I would not use that luck spell to get lucky that way. I told her nothing physical on our dates, and I'm sure with all the luck I got so far it should wear off before the month is over. The luck is just giving me a chance with a woman that doesn't give chances."

"It's not that I'm concerned about her virtue." Goliath blushed as he said that. "Though I am surprised she agreed to this. You are female."

"Well, naturally I'm female, but I can be whatever I need to be." Christy teased and a few of the boys groaned at that idea.

Goliath took a breath. "She is driven by hatred, and I am concerned that she agreed to this," Goliath waved his hand subtly to Christy. "for an ulterior motive."

"She might have," Christy agreed quickly, "And men picking women up at bars might only be after sex, and women interested in rich men may only be in it for the money." She glanced at a redhead rolling her eyes. "That sadly is the way of dating. People aren't always upfront about what they are after in a relationship. I can deal with that. I actually expect that from her at this point."

"You expect her to be trying to use you in some way?" Goliath looked really confused.

"Yeah, initially." Christy could see all the males were looking at her like she was a bit insane. "I'll deal with it."

"I don't think this is a good idea," Goliath spoke up again and Christy sighed as her pleasant approach didn't work.

"I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself." Christy stood up. "It was nice meeting all of you. But I have things to do and I've been running around New York all day seeing the sites. I'm turning in early."

"Okay then." Fox pushed off the counter and came with Christy.

Fox walked alongside Christy relatively quietly as they headed to Christy's room. Behind them stammering and protesting erupted as the clan disagreed with her, but they were just doing it among themselves so that was fine. She enjoyed some of the disbelief that Christy had just dismissed them like that. "You had a reason for picking her." Fox spoke softly as they stopped at Christy's door. The strategy was obvious; Christy wouldn't want to have this conversation in the hall, so she'd have to invite Fox inside.

"You mean instead of you?" Christy turned to lean against her door and face Fox. She wasn't going to fall for inviting Fox in. That woman would use the privacy to her advantage. "Fox, you are married to a very powerful and very rich man. I'm not an idiot." She gave Fox's body a scan and smiled. "It's not fair to put the bait out like that when you know you will just toss the fish back in the water when you're done with it."

Fox shook her head. "But that fish will see a whole new world while it lasts," her voice a confident sexual purr.

"I worked really hard for my chance at Demona." Christy leaned in and spoke more quietly. "And while I don't doubt for a minute that you and I could burn down a bedroom I'm not shooting myself in the foot before even trying with her. Not for a romp, and that's all it would be, because anyone who sees you with David can tell you found your perfect mate."

Fox nodded in agreement to the last words. "But why are you so determined to try something with her?"

Christy smiled at the redhead. "She's one of a kind too. We have some things in common." Christy opened the door and slipped inside.

…

Nightstone was a much smaller building than Xanatos Enterprises. Christy walked around the block taking in what was there, and she suspected that cameras were hidden in various spots around the Nightstone building itself, so she didn't wander too close.

She'd had to study what other people of this time and place were wearing before dressing herself for this potential date. If they couldn't agree on what to do it wouldn't be happening today, but Christy suspected that Demona's curiosity would make her a bit more agreeable.

The top floor held the CEO's office, obviously, because if Demona wanted to glide out of her office at night, the top floor was the best one to have. Christy stepped out and glanced around at the very typical office. People were walking through the halls, talking about plans for the weekend, or their bosses visit to their department. None of them seemed as tense as you'd expect of human employees of Demona. Christy noted signs on the wall and followed the arrow that said CEO Dominique Destine.

The double doors were classy looking and Christy pushed her way into a sitting area with a receptionist. "Can I help you?"

"I have an appointment with Dominique Destine." It was so business, so very corporate, and as that very human.

It took a couple minutes for Demona to open her office door, but the smile she gave Christy was the first she'd ever gotten from the gargoyle. Christy took a breath as she prepared, because from that smile it looked like the game was starting. Demona was going to try and charm Christy's secrets out of her.

"Come on in." Demona told her and Christy decided that she was going to enjoy the gargoyle's approach for as long as it lasted. Maybe she'd be lucky and get through Demona's shell before the gargoyle decided to lash out at her.

The large office had a hidden door in the corner, and the window could open when most windows in tall buildings wouldn't. She knew the exits weren't really going to be all that helpful. "So how will this work?" Demona asked in a pleasant tone as she made her way over to the chairs in front of her desk, and waved a hand to the other chair in invitation even as she sat down.

"Well," Christy noted the way Demona watched her, and how the subtle tilt of her body showed a hint of cleavage. Demona was going for a hint of sexy and it was very effective. "I'm fine with suggesting something for the first date, but if you have an idea you could do it this time. I just want to make sure we have time to get to know each other, so I'm not really interested in spending all our time watching a movie or a show."

"What are you hoping to get out of this?" Demona asked.

Relaxing her shoulders Christy sighed. "Honestly," She glanced into Demona's human looking eyes for a moment before shifting her gaze to stare out at the blue sky of late afternoon. "I'm not sure. It would be fantastic if we could get along, either as friends, or more. I didn't really think this through too much. When I left my last home, my friend put something similar to a luck spell on me."

"She wasn't a very skilled magic user if your wandering into a bank robbery was her idea of luck." Demona scoffed. Christy couldn't help but smile, because she'd thought something like that at first as well.

"Yes, but if I didn't see you there under those circumstances would I be here today?" Christy pointed out. "I think her spell did work, because I wasn't going to be able to get you to say yes to a date any other way. It's why I tried. That luck isn't going to stay with me long. It might even be gone already, so I had to make the most of it. I just hoped there was a reason I was there with you when I could have ended up so many other places."

"What do you mean?" Demona scowled, but Christy was amused at the way Demona then smiled and tried again, "I mean, you really think this spell brought us together?" That sounded soft, romantic, and extremely fake.

"I'm not that much of a romantic. Not after everything I've seen and done." Christy said. "I think it helped me meet you, but I'm not willing to claim soul mates. I do know the way I prefer to deal with threats will make fitting in hard for me." Christy chuckled as Demona's fake affection was quickly wiped away to show a more genuine curiosity.

Christy leaned forward. "I think I could fit with you. I'd like the chance to find out. Just try to see if it could work, be open minded. I come with a lot of perks, I promise." Christy gave a flirtatious smile to the redhead. "And I know my appearance may not be what you want. I look human, because that is what fits in and what I'm used to looking like. I'm not human." Christy didn't go into the idea of mutants, because Demona might only hear 'still human' in that.

"What do you really look like?" Demona asked, surprising Christy.

"I don't really know," Christy whispered. "I guess, somewhat humanoid still." Her own body had long since been destroyed. She was made of energy and water. She looked up with a slight frown on her face. "I've spent so long learning to be other people, I never tried to figure out how to take the forms off. I used to look human, like this, but I know I don't look like this anymore. It's just another form I wear."

"You used to look human?" Demona looked puzzled.

"I thought I was human for a long time." Christy admitted. "Until I changed but this is all date talk and getting to know you talk and we still haven't figured out who is planning this date." Christy smiled and did her best to change the subject for now. It was a topic she wanted and needed to bring up with Demona, but not before the first date. Her secrets might be something she could use to make sure Demona kept coming back.

"What were you thinking of us doing?" Demona asked.

"Well, we could start out slow. Maybe a picnic?" Christy watched Demona's expression and the way she tilted her head as she considered Christy's words. "If we go at night we could glide out of the city and find some spot that isn't surrounded by cement."

…

Demona was intrigued that Christy was proposing they go out alone to a secluded place. Christy had already promised not to ask for anything sexual so it was worth considering. Demona approved the idea and watched the way Christy seemed to relax. It wasn't worth it to debate the activity, but really, if they were going to 'date', a private, secluded picnic did seem the least painful of ideas. "The weather should be nice tonight."

Demona wasn't going to be too careless about this. She'd pick the picnic spot and she wouldn't give Christy any time to get too creative. It was also a way to try and finish the conversation that Christy had cut off too soon.

"I'll pick up the food." Christy offered, before asking. "Do gargoyles eat more than humans?"

"A little more. Gliding takes energy." Demona answered. Christy nodded as if she suspected that. It was clear that someone had been talking, because there was too much that Christy knew, and it had been true even in the bank. "I'll bring the wine," Demona offered, thinking of ways to loosen Christy's tongue. "Make sure when you get the food you get some way to hold it because you'll be carrying it." Demona would have her hands full. She hadn't carried anyone in her arms for a very long time, but this female had no wings.

"Oh, I forgot to ask," Demona said. "How did your meeting with that weasel of a human go? Is he putting together an identity for you?"

"I think he's probably very good at his job. He told me I should have the basics in a week, and he'd continue to work in the background for another week." Christy gave her a smile as if Demona had gifted that service to her. "I will be thrilled to be able to get my own place. Living with Fox is a trial."

Demona's fist clenched as Christy's last words registered in her mind, and derailed her plan to steer the conversation back to the bank. She could imagine why Fox would have issued that invitation, and she didn't like that the clan was near Christy while Christy had Demona tricked into dating. It was awkward, and a bit embarrassing. "She's a tricky one." Demona warned.

"I know. So am I." Christy gave her a smirk before standing up. "If we go tonight, it would be best to leave as soon as we can. The clan is the last thing I want to deal with."

"Agreed." Demona said flatly. She did not want these 'dates' interrupted. They might not count then, and Demona would find herself dating a lot more than she agreed to if every clan attack led to a rescheduling. "We should leave from the roof of this building just after sunset."

As Christy left, Demona didn't offer to give her money for the food. She sat back down at her desk and considered the mystery creature that had been dropped right into her lap.

Christy was practical, straightforward, and powerful. She was a gift for Demona, but Demona wasn't sure what to do with her. She caught the implication. Christy said she was looking for a friend or a lover, but she hinted to wanting an ally as well. She felt Demona was the one for that job. What was Christy up to? And where did she even come from?

And how sad was it that Christy didn't even know what she looked like? How could she have lived for her entire life and never even seen her true form? Demona growled softly as her mind was consumed too much to work. It was like every answer she got out of the female just made things more and more confusing.

Well, tonight Demona was stacking the deck in her favor and the woods behind her mansion seemed to be in the middle of nowhere if she came to it from the south. It would be secure and offer Demona the home field advantage if this was a trick of any sort.

Somehow it would be easier if this was a trick, Demona thought. The idea that this female was actually interested in her was harder to believe than the idea that this was a trick to try and secure Demona's cooperation for something.

…..

"An ounce of prevention," Christy muttered to herself as she zipped up the backpack she'd filled with sandwiches, chicken, and other random foods in the hopes that Demona would like something.

The Nightstone building was quieter when she returned at nearly dusk. Christy slid in easily with a nod to the guards. The look on their faces said it all; it was very unusual that anyone would be going up at this hour. Christy took the elevator to the top floor and wandered to find the roof access. Christy had used the roof access to buildings quite a few times to escape. Most people assume you'd run down. This time she didn't break the lock, she took the time to pick it properly.

Sunset from the roof was rather beautiful. Christy set the backpack down and rested on the ledge of the rooftop while staring out at the brilliant colors in the sky.

The sound of wings was familiar, but the lack of feathers made it just a little different. Christy stepped back from the edge and turned. Her eyes widened a little as she took in the female standing in the middle of the roof watching her. Demona was a wonderful blue, and her outfit was savage and sexual. Her hair wild and flowing in the wind. Christy found that her fascination with blue skin had survived the crossing into another world as she felt her attraction grow with just the sight of the gargoyle. "You look amazing." Christy admitted softly, as she considered she was on a date after all, so it was appropriate. "Very beautiful."

Demona took a step forward and part of Christy's attention was drawn to how differently Demona's feet appeared to work. "Well, thank you." There was a small hint of amusement in Demona's smile and Christy chose to focus on picking up the backpack and regrouping. Her appreciation was far too obvious if Demona was smirking at her like that.

"I will have to carry you." Demona said as she came closer. Christy just nodded her permission. Demona handed over the bottle of wine and waited for Christy to stuff it into the backpack as well. Demona smelled rather nice Christy thought as she was held in the gargoyles arms.

Christy held the backpack to her chest to keep the wind from taking it. The wind was loud, but not so loud she couldn't hear Demona. The shape shifter in her started cataloguing all the differences between this form and the human form of the woman she'd seen earlier. It wasn't as drastic a shape shift as it seemed.

"I believe I know a nice clearing we can use." Demona told her as they turned to the west.

"Good." Christy glanced down at the city, and remembered flying over it in other arms as well. Angel had dropped her right in the middle of Times Square during that battle. Hopefully Christy wouldn't find herself having to fall tonight, but she knew if someone dropped her she'd survive it. "When I was a kid I used to dream I could fly." Christy smiled at the odd memory, and glanced away from the view to see Demona watching her. "But I couldn't fly very high and was always having to try and dodge wires and street lights. It was so frustrating."

Demona chuckled. "We're a bit higher now." She pointed out even though it wasn't necessary. "It's better to avoid the electrical lines."

"That's what I always thought." Christy smiled and glanced down at the green expanse they were approaching. "So since gargoyles can fly and they can walk, did you grow up with swimming dreams?"

"I can't say that I remember." Demona told her. They were starting to fly lower before there was an opening in the trees and a meadow seemed to appear in front of them.

It was dark, but Christy pushed her nightvision as far as it would go. They landed and Demona set Christy down. "I brought a blanket too." Christy mentioned as she unzipped the compartment that had it. In glancing around at the site they were in, Christy thought it was perfect. It was a wide enough clearing they had a good view of the sky and the moon managed to light up the meadow enough for those with night vision. It was actually a rather romantic seeming location. It was a shame they weren't anywhere near ready to take advantage of that.

….

Christy laid out the blanket and started to pull out containers of food. The female moved around better in the dark than a human would. Perhaps her eyes even rivaled a gargoyles.

"It didn't escape my notice that you know far too much about many things." Demona spoke as she wrapped her wings around herself and stood at the edge of the blanket. "You knew who and what I was very quickly, and from what you've said you knew of the clan and their attitudes before you ever met them." It was alarming that her own secret identity was so easily seen through. She was also a irritated with how long it took her to catch on to the fact that the clan couldn't have possibly told Christy Demona's secrets, as Christy had met Demona first.

"That's not really where I wanted to start, but I don't have a chance of convincing you to wait for that answer, do I?" Christy stood up smoothly and Demona just waited, crossing her arms in front of her. "No, I can't say I blame you."

"Well, that is nice, but it still isn't an answer." Demona snarled, and then frowned when that seemed to have little effect on the female, who just looked somewhat lost in her own thoughts.

"Well, you picked one of the harder questions for tonight. This might take a while." Christy bent down and pulled something else out of the picnic basket. "And if alcohol affects you, I really recommend having some." The wine bottle was in her hands as she stood back up.

Demona nodded and Christy's finger became a cork screw. When the female nodded to the blanket before starting to pour Demona slowly lowered herself down for their picnic. It was undoubtedly going to be one of the most interesting meals of her life.

When Christy sat down across from her she ran her hands a bit roughly through her hair in a clear hint at how unhappy Christy was with Demona's question. "I'm not actually surprised you were the first one to think to ask me this." Christy gave Demona a brief smile. "I always thought you were the smart one."

"Flattery won't change my mind." Demona gave a small smirk at the female knowing that Christy couldn't have thought it would be that easy.

They dished up quietly as Christy was clearly organizing her story. Demona was going to do her best to see if there were lies on that female's tongue.

"I have an unreliable ability, but it is very powerful." Christy sat in front of her plate, making no motion to eat and Demona found her own hands lowering her own plate to the blanket. "I don't know if you realize that there are countless possible realities or dimensions." Demona frowned as she considered that. She'd heard the wild theories, of course, but Christy talked as if this was a simple fact. "I can travel between realities but I can't really control my destination very well."

If Demona hadn't already seen some of Christy's odd powers she'd call her a liar immediately, but there was a nagging feeling it could, potentially, be the truth. "That's a very bold claim." Demona said. "You expect me to believe you knew of me from another world?"

Christy grimaced. "Here is where my claim gets bolder. No one ever takes this part well." Christy sighed and glanced up at the sky for just a bit too long. "While I can travel these realities, I rarely do. What I find really fascinating is how many people can 'see' through the layers between realities and write about what they see. I've come to the conclusion that every good story is real somewhere."

"What do you mean?" Demona's eyes burned as a thought started to bloom in her mind.

"The first world I went to after my power developed was actually one I'd read about in a comic book. I met people who I'd read about as a teenager and knew a lot about who they were and what they'd been through. Not everything though, because writers can't put every little detail into a story."

"I'm not amused with this little joke." Demona hissed.

"You thought that the Princess was going to kill the clan as you all slept one day." Christy spoke softly and quietly. "The way you were all being treated at the castle it really was a possibility. I've seen hatred like that lead to genocide, but your plan to stop her and the other humans backfired on you."

Demona stared in disbelief as Christy gave her a sympathetic look. "I know some of the history of this world, and I know you can't be comfortable with that. I'm willing to try and prove it to you if you'd like, but writers never give the entire story, so I won't know everything."

"You can't expect…" Demona stammered.

"You saved MacBeth from that fall even though you hated humans a good deal already." Christy spoke just as slowly and softly as she had before and Demona found it hard to swallow. "That time had to have been hell for you, but you tried to make a new start of it all and the Wyrd Sisters manipulated so many people to capture you in their spell."

The fire burned out of her eyes in shock as she really, truly started to believe. Christy's voice was a mere whisper, "You had very good reasons for what you did, but your plans were all flawed. Still, I doubt the clan ever took the time to really listen to why you did it all. It is so much easier for them to just point fingers and declare someone evil, a villain, when life is nowhere near that simple. They are far too innocent and judgmental."

Demona felt exposed and vulnerable. Christy's words were true on a level Demona couldn't deny. No one in the clan ever asked why Demona did what she did. They ignored that back then they were living in the clutches of a dangerous enemy and weren't doing anything to protect themselves.

"People I trusted turned their backs on me too. We have that in common. Demona found herself surprised at the compassion felt in spite of the shock of it all. "I can see what has to be done, and I can do what is hard to do, and some people never forgive that."

"No, they don't," Demona finally spoke after the silence went on for too long, and then stared up at the sky in silence.

They didn't talk for an untold amount of time, but when Christy started to move Demona focused on her again. Christy picked up her plate and slowly started to eat as if the world and reality itself hadn't just been rendered to pieces by her words.

…

Demona grimaced and once again stared at Christy. "If you are living with Fox Xanatos, you have met the clan."

"Yes, I've met them." Christy pulled her own glass of wine closer and took a sip before setting it back down. "But they don't know too much about me. I wanted to solidify my identity and be prepared to leave before we had that talk. I anticipate they will consider me as much a villain as they consider you once a few things come to light."

There was a very brief chuckle. "I think that's most likely a good plan. I don't even know your story yet, nothing concrete, but I can already tell you and Goliath will not get along too well."

Christy returned with a rolling of her eyes, "I don't know why you say that, was it the stealing or the killing you think he'd be more upset with?"

"I think it might be the plotting that will do you in." Demona's eyes seemed to take in Christy, moving up from the hand holding the base of the wine glass to Christy's eyes. "For example, I believe you have plots and plans to do some rather violent things in this world and that is one reason you are trying to make some sort of alliance with me." This time Demona's smirk stayed on her lips and Christy shook her head at the straight forward approach yet again taking a hold of the conversation.

"I won't lie, I do have some plans." Christy sat up. "In that last world my people were not popular. The government and other groups, made life hard. Some groups decided to hunt us down and try to kill us. My job was to fight the humans that wanted to kill us off. I did that job for ten years, and I'm good at it."

"The humans were hunting you?" Demona's voice had a growl to it.

"Yes, but," Christy stared straight into burning eyes. "I hunted them too. In the end I had destroyed the base, the funding, and the respect of those organizations that were seeking our blood and we managed to secure some protections against that. The battle was far from won when I left, but if they are smart they will not face a government that proposes internment camps, jail, or forced sterilization again."

"Sterilization?!" Demona's voice rose and her wings flaired out in her anger. Christy just gave Demona a nod. It hadn't mattered to Christy. Her powers sterilized her, but she'd heard the tears and screaming when that law was proposed. It had been too close and Christy knew her and Mystique had been the hidden force stopping that one.

"It's too early to talk about plans, because I'm just getting the lay of the land right now." Christy admitted. "But I do want to keep the humans here from walking down that same path they did in my last world."

"And this is why you sought me out," Demona spoke quietly, but approval was obvious in her tone. "Goliath will never understand that the humans' tendency toward genocide exists even though he's faced it. He will tell you that these humans are different, better, than the ones you faced before when we both know they are all the same." Her words became louder as she talked.

It wasn't completely true. Christy knew some humans were different, but the issue was the same. Rather than point that out now, Christy picked up her wine glass and held it out waiting for a moment until Demona caught her intension.

"I do not want another race to go through what we went through." Christy admitted it in a strong voice as Demona picked up her wine glass. "And I will work to prevent all the signs that it is happening, as I can recognize them well."

"This is the easiest alliance I have ever made." Demona said and they clinked their glasses, before Christy took in another sip of the truly good red wine. Christy would have to argue with Demona at some point over the methods they use, but for now, Demona appeared much more open.

….

Christy talked about things she found fun, foods she liked, and then informed Demona it was her turn to plan the date. The surprise on the gargoyles face after she was given the task was amusing. Christy would see if Demona paid any attention to their conversation after Christy steered it away from fighting, weapons, and Demona's attempt to start planning an offensive against the humans.

"So no movies or shows." Demona asked. Christy smiled as she could see the gargoyle took the challenge up.

"At least two hours of interacting too." Christy added before staring up at the clear sky. "Did the sky look very different a thousand years ago?"

Christy could see Demona give the sky a glance at that question. "Yes, you could see so much more without the city lights obstructing the view. It feels like we've lost so many stars in the years I've been alive." Christy remembered how the sky, the deadly sky, of her home world grew when the cities died.

"Lights really do mess up the view." She agreed quietly and turned her head to look at the gargoyle. "We've been at this two hours, so if you want to stop we can."

"I don't have any other plans for tonight," Demona said casually and Christy smiled.

"I came from the twenty-first century in my home world and spent more time in it at the last." Christy admitted softly. It was only 1996 now. "A good twenty years from now. All I have to say is Apple, Amazon and Microsoft." She chuckled at the amused look she received.

"I thought Apple and Microsoft were in competition?" Demona had a sly look on her face.

"Apple will create their own niche. If this world is like mine, or the last world I was in, they are a good investment." Christy tugged a bit of grass up to tear it up with her hands. The sound of the night in the forest was soothing in a way.

"Thank you for the information." Demona said and Christy couldn't tell if the gargoyle would do anything with it, but it was nice to hear her chuckle.

"You don't say much about your home world," Demona spoke up quietly as Christy was staring at the constellations. Christy could hear the gargoyle's wings rustling as the female laid back to stare at the sky alongside Christy. "or how you found out you weren't human."

"It's not a pleasant story." Christy turned her head to look at Demona. "Can I ask you to take a raincheck on that story?" When she noticed the start of a frown on Demona's face Christy sighed. "I will tell you, I want to tell you, but I kind of want to enjoy the rest of the night with you and that story is a hard one for me."

Christy knew telling Demona about how the world was when it was dying would be important to share, if just to make Demona think. Telling it too soon, when the gargoyle still had to digest the other things she learned wouldn't be a good idea.

"Very well." Demona allowed and the frown and tightening eyes made Christy feel like it was an allowance Demona didn't really want to give, but couldn't find a way out of it.


	3. Chapter 3

It was time to take Christy back into the city. The tallest tree was just tall enough for the take off, given the extra weight she'd be carrying as she glided out of here.

That reminded Demona of something. "How can I contact you, once I have a date planned." She asked.

"I'll get a cellphone so you can call me. Just give me a few days. I'm sure they aren't as fast at handing them over as they were in my own time."

"Once you have a phone, call me and I'll share my plan. For now, let's plan on next Saturday. I could free some daytime hours." That would eliminate the possibility of the clan interrupting.

Christy's lips quirked. "Good idea. "

Christy had Demona drop her off far from the clan and waved as she walked away from the darkened alley to catch the subway for the rest of her trip.

Demona stayed on the rooftop she'd climbed to and just stared out at the city as she let the evening replay behind her eyes. "Perhaps my luck is turning around as well." She muttered to herself, considering the luck that Christy said she'd been infused with, because that female was literally dropped in her lap and everything was going to change now. Demona wouldn't have to fight the humans alone anymore if she just managed to not let this opportunity slip through her talons.

…..

PFLAG, Pride, Rainbow Flags and pink triangles. Demona grimaced as she reached for her coffee cup while staring at her screen. None of this research was what she was after, but in following a series of links she'd learned even new depths that humans had sunk to. She wasn't sure why she felt any surprise at this; the fact was they turned on their own almost as often as they turned on others.

While the humans wouldn't imprison each other for who they chose for mates anymore, at least in America, it was far from an accepted practice to mate with one's own gender. That was just confirmation of what Demona knew already. She would have to be careful and discrete if she tried to 'seduce' Christy to stay by her side. The female had been very open with what her hopes were and if Demona didn't find a way to cement Christy's cooperation she could lose it.

She was with Goliath out of choice, and with Thailog out of loneliness and misplaced trust. Her fingers went white on her coffee cup and she put it down before risking breaking yet another one. Thailog had tricked her into thinking he was after what she was, and instead had proven to be manipulating her. She'd made him pay, but she wasn't eager to be proven a fool again.

No, if there was a fool here it needed to be Christy. Demona turned to stare out of her office window. She'd pretend just enough to keep the female on her side. It would take some acting on her part to pretend to find the female fascinating in a different way. Demona was fascinated with her power, her history, her thoughts, but she could fake a different type of fascination if needed.

At least she enjoyed the female's company. It couldn't be harder to pretend for Christy than it had been for MacBeth. Demona really did want to know her, she could use that. She wouldn't mind a companion, but a companion would wander off in search of a mate at some point and that couldn't be allowed. That would be the moment Demona lost her ally, if she found a mate among the humans. It simply couldn't be allowed.

…..

"You got home rather late last night." The seductive quality to that voice was more than enough for Christy to know who was behind her.

Christy turned with the apple in her hand and gave Fox a mischievous smile of her own. "I had a date."

"Went well, did it?" Fox started to smile even as she leaned up against the counter.

"Actually, I think it did. I think she'll call me for a second date." Christy joked. Fox just rolled her eyes before shaking her head.

"There are easier ways to scratch that itch you know."

"If you're itchy it's because you didn't use protection." Christy said enjoying the look on Fox's face. It was like the expression Mystique had given her when she'd said that to her once. That overly flirtatious heat left the redhead and Christy felt herself start to relax. It was like living with a succubus, and it was not as fun as it sounded when she wasn't really able to accept the invitations. "And I'm saving myself, didn't you hear? I won't be having any sex this month."

"Poor thing." Fox mocked her. "With that one you'll be waiting more than a month. Maybe if you hold out a hundred years she might try dipping a talon in, but have you even thought about what would happen if those sharp talons explored your tender flesh?"

"Clearly not as much as you have." Christy smirked, unconcerned. "I'm pretty durable and adaptable, I'm sure I can think of some way to have sex." She bit into her apple and just stared Fox down while she was chewing.

The rumbling of voice, and the excitement in them, was more than enough warning that the clan was now awake and heading toward the kitchen.

"Hope you didn't ruin your appetite." Broadway said when he noticed her apple. "Want to join us? We're having Jambalaya." She could tell he was proud of his dinner plans.

"Sounds good to me." She moved to sit at the counter while Broadway moved around the kitchen pulling out pots and pans.

"I have plans. I'll have to catch up with you later." Fox held Christy's eyes a moment too long before leaving the room. Brooklyn and Lexington passed the redhead just after the doorway on their way in.

Lexington's smile was genuine. "Hey Christy!"

The trio tended to talk over each other, but Christy followed it well enough. Brooklyn was going to work on his bike before his patrol, Broadway was going to spend some time with Angela, and Lexington was just planning to surf the internet.

"Actually, Lex, can I talk with you?" Christy asked as she studied the small male. "After dinner."

"What would you need to talk with Lexington about?" Brooklyn cut into their conversation.

"I need to start apartment hunting and thought Lex could help me out." Christy mostly looked at the smaller green gargoyle when she said that so she saw his nod before he spoke.

"Yeah, yeah, I could do that." Lex offered up quickly. She gave him a smile and watched him blush.

"So when are you going on your date with Demona?" Brooklyn interrupted and it felt like it was a jab at both Christy and Lex. Lex's smile did fade and Christy turned to stare at the red skinned gargoyle.

"Last night and it was lovely. The sky was clear and we talked for hours." She could see his back go rigid. "Is this because I'm gay?" She asked, pretending ignorance about his hatred of the female.

"What?" His eyes widened almost comically, "No, No," he shook his head emphatically. "It's just," he paused, and his disgust was evident in how he grimaced, "Demona?"

"Hey," Christy grinned teasingly, "She's wicked smart." She delivered in a thick Bronx accent. "I like wicked smart girls, and hey, blue is crazy sexy." She chuckled and turned her attention away from him.

"Okay." Lexington drew that one word out long enough that it could have been three. "Well, what are you thinking about for an apartment? How much money are you looking to spend?" Christy did what she could to not grin as her ploy worked to shut them up about Demona.

…

"Christy, I'd like to talk to you about what your plans are now," Goliath said during dinner and Christy turned from her quiet study of Lexington's odd wings to see the clan leader watching her.

"Well, I'm almost done creating a human identity." She offered up. "As for after that, I'm waiting to see how things piece together. I could plan, but so much depends on other factors."

"Factors like Demona?" He asked with a heavy frown. Other conversation went quiet around the kitchen at that point. Christy knew that she was the center of attention without looking.

"Yes." She admitted and picked up her glass to take a sip before continuing. "I'm waiting to see how things go with Demona before making any serious plans."

"Are you aware that Demona is often making serious plans of her own to destroy the human race?" Goliath chose today for that conversation after all.

"Yes, I had been aware." She said then took a bite of her dinner. All eyes were on her as she chewed and swallowed. She looked up into his tense frame and then held his gaze. "Why don't you ask the question you really want the answer to?"

His lips turned down as he quietly studied her. "If she humors your attempt at romance, will you actually join her in her insanity?"

Christy dabbed her lips with the napkin and set it down knowing her chances of being able to finish this meal were over now. "Even if she doesn't 'humor me' as you say it, I have to throw my hat into that arena." Goliath jerked back in shock even though he had to have expected this. "You've slept through the campaign to make your people extinct, but she hasn't. And I've been in a battle like that for my own people. I know how it will end if it isn't nipped in the bud." She gave him a fake smile. "But don't worry, I don't hate all of humanity. Some of my best friends were human. I'm not going to rain death down on the city. I'm much more subtle. The quarrymen won't even know what hit them. Politicians that, inevitably, recommend you are all put onto camps, zoos, or medical facilities, will find themselves in the middle of scandals. I'm very good at that, and it helps to discredit them very quickly."

Goliath's voice raised and his wings flared making him look even larger. "The humans are simply misguided, they aren't evil."

Christy just sighed at his denial. "Misguided or Evil, the results are the same. And leaving someone Misguided or Evil to lead the rest is just asking for extinction. If you don't believe Demona's experience in this or my own, ask Elisa. Ask her if the humans might do what I've suggested to you and your people. Ask her if that could happen. You would believe her, wouldn't you? I mean she is human, and if she says that humans would do that you'd have to listen, wouldn't you?"

"You are so sure of this that you think even Elisa thinks the humans are evil." Goliath stared at her like she was insane.

"Or misguided." Christy used his own word for it. She'd seen the show and the look on Elisa's face a few times. She knew Elisa understood the dangers much better than the clan did. "While you are at it ask her if she can come up with a better plan than the one I have. If she can I'm willing to listen."

Goliath looked stumped and Christy took that moment to glance around the table at the others. She was right, they were all looking at her and Goliath. "You all think like Tenth century gargoyles, and you've worked to understand the technology of this time, but I don't think you've really looked at the history of these people. The fact that we are standing in a skyscraper in North America is attributed to the humans murdering the men, women and children that used to live here before those from Europe found the place. Some of them, as that is all it takes, even turned murder into a game. They didn't kill all of the people, but they drove the survivors off their own land." Christy took a breath. "And if you don't believe that ask Elisa, because it was her people." Every gargoyle paled. "She is half Native American. She is also half African American. Ask her what the people who took over North America did to her other ancestors as well. That is just as colorful a story. Ask her why a people who came from Africa came to North America after it was settled."

Christy knew the clan was in for a rude awakening and she knew pulling Elisa into it was the only way they'd believe it. "So no, I don't believe all humans are evil." She spoke more casually, "But I also understand that just a few well placed people can cause untold damage. You don't have the numbers to survive the shit-storm that is brewing. I have experience in this and I'm going to try and head it off for you so that you don't die off as a people." Christy stood up and started for the door. "You don't have to say thank you, just stay out of my way. Lex, call me when you're ready to help me find an apartment."

"Jalapena." Lex's voice muttered as Christy stepped out of view. Christy stopped moving for a moment to see if anyone else spoke.

"I'm going out." Goliath muttered and the rustle of his wings got louder.

"To find Elisa no doubt." Hudson said.

…

The next day she left the bank with a checking account and that was all she needed to get her phone set up. The phones of 1996 weren't really larger than the ones of the time she came from, but they just didn't do anything other than call people.

The first phone number she entered into her address book was Dominique Destine's. She leaned up against the wall of the Verizon she'd just left and was getting ready to call when she noticed the buzzed hair and Quarryman symbol on the man walking in her direction. He would look intimidating to many people and he was handing out what was likely propaganda.

Christy took a moment to change her features when no one was looking at her and gave a small smirk as she started forward toward the hateful idiot. They were really no different than other hate groups she'd run across and this was no one of real importance, but he was recruiter and she'd make an impression before leaving.

"Um, can you tell me how to get to Central Park?" Christy asked the Quarryman. It brought him up short and he stopped to look at her.

"Sure, but you might want to make sure to be out of there before dark. Once the Gargoyles come out it just isn't a safe place to be." His voice held some fanaticism, but it was coated in concern.

"Come on, flying monsters, you've got to be kidding right?" She glanced around as if looking for something. "Candid Camera? I'm on a show like that aren't I?"

"No, really, they exist." He insisted and the conversation moved to him trying to convince her. Christy made a point to leave when it was clear she didn't fully believe him, and memorized his face so she'd recognize it again. She also had a pamphlet and his first name and a phone number on it in case she wanted to know more. She'd let that stew for a while before moving on the opening she'd just created. She'd be calling it eventually.

As she walked toward Central park and back towards her temporary home she pulled out her phone to give Demona her phone number and make plans on where they'd meet on Saturday.

…

"Um, Christy," Lex scratched the back of his own neck nervously when Christy turned to look at the gargoyle in the doorway. "Sorry I couldn't drop by last night, but did you want some help with apartment hunting now?"

"That'd be great." Christy got up from the kitchen table and grabbed her glass to put in the sink. "Lead the way." He seemed rather awkward, Christy thought as she followed him to his computer. She wondered if the clan had heard from Elisa yet, or if that was a conversation to come. She'd leave it for now and just let that thread unravel itself. She wasn't sure why Elisa didn't warn the clan more about what could happen to the clan if the humans found out about them, if people in positions of power found out. Elisa had to know, and yet she'd allowed the clan to remain blissfully ignorant.

"So, you wanted to live in the city right?" Lex asked as he sat down. Christy nodded and outlined some bare minimums as she studied his unique body structure. The way his wings were structured looked familiar. She'd seen someone wear a wingsuit before. Maybe she could find some footage of Lex gliding to watch, but she'd probably have to ask him or Fox for that.

Lex stammered and stuttered as Christy rested hands on his shoulders, or 'accidently' brushed up against his wings as she pointed at the computer screen.

"Thanks Lex." Christy grinned at him as she made her way to the door with the apartment listings in hand.

….

Christy hadn't said anything when she was told where they were going for their date. She knew that Demona likely didn't like Coney Island after the fiasco with Thailog that led to her realizing he'd never loved her and was using her. He'd finished his betrayal here, on Coney Island. She didn't want to be the one to remind Demona, and perhaps the gargoyle wasn't going to be miserable there, if she'd suggested going there.

"You mentioned the ocean a few times." Demona said quietly as they got out of the car, explaining her reasoning and doubtlessly trying to prove she had listened. "I doubt you'd be too interested in the rides.

The water was always soothing to her, which was why she'd often find herself gravitating toward it. They walked along the beach even though the weather was a bit overcast. They didn't share the beach with millions of other people. The crowd wasn't bad, so they had privacy as they walked.

"I've started my apartment hunting. Lex says anything over 8 floors up would work for visits via air."

Demona smiled. "I could make 6 floors work, but really the higher the better so we aren't too visible from the ground. If you could afford a penthouse that would work best."

Christy grimaced. "That's a bit out of my prince range. I'm going to try and live off of what I have now as long as possible. I don't want to have to waste too much of my time doing a meaningless job when I have to go undercover or travel whenever something comes up."

"There is that." Demona muttered and walked a little closer to the incoming waves on the damp sand. It was easier to walk on and Christy followed her lead.

…..

Demona mulled over Christy's apartment issues as they walked. Daily expenses could limit Christy's ability to work with her against the humans. Demona owned a small collection of warehouses and two safehouses. With her no longer needing to turn to stone during the day she hadn't been using the safehouses as much. She could use one for meeting with the human slime she sometimes got to do her errands for her and let Christy use the other. It could cement their alliance, and would enable Demona to keep closer tabs on her new ally.

Demona decided to focus on the 'date' for now. She had other plans to enact, after all. After the date she could bring up the safehouse and see what Christy had to say. "Is living with that human getting any easier?" she asked, trying to show some personal concern.

Christy's lips turned up into a hint of a smile. "She's finally backing off, and the clan is currently staying rather quiet." Christy gave Demona a mischievous smile. "I pointed them toward Elisa and told them to ask her about her ancestors' history with the white man in America when Goliath started to claim that humans were just 'misguided' as if that made them less dangerous to be stupid rather than evil." Demona tilted her head and returned that smile once her mind caught up to what groups of people Elisa would have descended from. That was clever, making the clan's pet human do the teaching.

"Nice." Demona complimented the female. They walked a little further and a wolf whistle drew both of their attention to some young male humans on the sidewalk staring at them. Demona gave them a cold glare and then did what she could to ignore them and focus on Christy, who was smiling and rolling her eyes.

Christy looked over at Demona before she could complain about the immature and inappropriate human youth. "You're clearly beautiful in either of your forms. How do you deal with humans hitting on you?"

Demona cursed the fair skin of her human mask as she felt a light blush at Christy's clear appraisal. "Few have the nerve and those that do learn quickly to not attempt that again."

"At least they aren't blind," Christy said. Demona felt a bit apprehensive at the compliment, but managed to mumble a thank you. She couldn't help but think that was the sort of move she should have made.

"Were you going to tell me about your first world, or how you realized you weren't a human tonight?" Demona asked and then watched Christy grimace.

"Of course you want that story," Christy muttered. They walked a little longer in silence as a human couple passed them going in the other direction. "Well, if you want that story I'm going to start it from the beginning. It might take a little while to tell, but even if it takes a few days to get it all out, I'll get it out." Demona started to wonder why this was such a long story, or if it was a trick. "I thought I was human for thirty years Demona, so that's part of my story."

…..

Things had become awkward at the Castle. The gargoyles were quiet, thoughtful, and seemed to lack energy. That was how Christy knew they'd finally talked with Elisa and Elisa had managed to share at least some of what Christy expected her to.

Christy went to the kitchen for something to eat. In the TV room there was some quiet talking, so she moved quickly passed that room for now. She'd wait until the gargoyles weren't as stunned before she talked with them. There would be enough arguments with the clan in the future. She didn't need to start now when they hadn't fully internalized what they'd learned.

"Oh," A surprised sound alerted Christy that someone found her. The light flipped on. "What are you doing in the dark?"

"I can see in the dark just fine." Christy responded as she watched the young female gargoyle watching her. She took a bite of the cold pizza in her hand and studied Angela. "What are you doing tonight?"

Angela grimaced. "We're watching Roots."

"Yeah, that was a tough one." Christy said. "Takes days to see it all too."

"I needed a break." Angela moved into the kitchen and collapsed on a chair. "I don't know how people can do things like that."

"The secret is to not see them as people," Christy said. "The often used definition of 'other' is very helpful for those that want to treat a group horribly." She studied the young gargoyle that had lived away from hatred and violence for most of her life, and took pity on her. "I was thinking about trying something tonight, but I need a bit of help."

Angela looked a little more alert. "What are you planning? I can't go out and attack people."

Christy just shook her head. "I'm not going to ask you to go against your clan." She clarified, and then glanced outside to verify the weather wasn't bad. "I want to surprise your mother on our next date."

It was hard for her not to laugh at the wide eyes Angela turned to her. The surprised look start to fade and Angela spoke quietly. "How are things going with my mother?"

Christy gave Angela a rueful smile. "I'm sure this is weird for you. Sorry." Then Christy sat down at the kitchen table with her slice of pizza for a conversation. "I'm pretty happy with how things are going. She is trying to secure time beyond our three dates. That gives me a chance to chip away at her walls."

"Why do you want my mother so much? She is not gay. You had to trick her into dating you." Angela sounded completely confused.

"I really like her," Christy said. "She deserves better than life has offered her and I kind of want to give her a better life. Everything she's done wasn't done for power or selfishness. She isn't out for money. She's trying to protect in the only way she sees will work. She lost her clan and her child in her attempts to protect both and I doubt she's been the same since." Her voice grew quieter. "I've been accused of becoming a monster to protect those I care about as well. I'm a little more sympathetic to her side of it all. I know you love this clan, but even you can see they don't listen to what they don't want to hear. It wasn't any different a thousand years ago."

"I came to this world with a lot of background information about it and the clan. It wasn't a blind jump. I can tell you that Demona saw the humans in the castle as a danger and they were. If things had kept going the way they were going the people there would have killed the clan." Angela looked like she was going to argue. "The disaster may have woken some of them up to the way they were treating the clan, but if that hadn't happened those humans were on a bad path. Demona and Goliath probably talked about it often, but HE didn't do anything. I just won a fight on the last world to get the humans to stop treating my people like they were evil and better off dead, and it took action. Any progress we made wasn't made without fighting and standing up against what they were doing to us. Goliath called the humans misguided and he seemed to think time was all they needed, but over time they got worse. She was desperate, and whether he ever acknowledges it, the times were desperate. Something had to give and without any support and with the ignorance of youth it was her. I've heard Brooklyn claiming she killed the clan, but the blame can go to a lot of people. The Princess, Hudson, Goliath, the Captain of the Guard, the Mage, the Vikings, and yes, Demona. Funny how this clan, who lived in that castle with all those people decided to just blame her."

Angela asked, "You know so much, how?" Christy felt some satisfaction that Angela wasn't disputing what Christy said. She might have actually gotten through to the female.

"I travel realities, but in order to go somewhere I have to have some knowledge of the place. Writers have the ability to see between realities, and therefore, many stories are real somewhere. You were watching Star Trek last night, and if I tried I could probably go through a portal and meet Data in person. In doing that I would know whatever was shown in the show, I would have some knowledge about that reality." Christy managed to not smirk at the thought of how many of the actors from that show gave voice to the people in the world she stood in now in their show.

"Jalapena" Angela whispered, her hand moving to cover her mouth as she stared at Christy with clear wariness.

"The princess may have raised you, and the woman that raised you was very kind and giving, but the princess that ruled in this castle was a monster." Christy stood up and put her plate in the dishwasher. "I would have tried to overthrow her too."

Christy left Angela to her thoughts, and decided to wait on her plans to try and surprise Demona for another night. If she couldn't find someone to help her out tomorrow night she'd try it on her own.

…

Demona ossed her work clothes into the hamper. When she convinced Christy to tell her more about her first world she hadn't expected to listen to the female talk about a human brother and mother in such detail. She hadn't expected to be listening to a description of Christy's schooling or how she worked teaching at a college. They had to call an end to the date before anything of real significance was talked about. Demona would have complained if she thought it wouldn't alienate the female.

The story Christy told was long winded. How did a human teacher come to become something other and a spy? How did she end up being raised by humans? Was she a changeling? Was she fey? Was there more to Christy's story than she knew? Demona suspected it may be true, because it was unlikely that humans gave birth to the female. It was just as likely as a human laying a gargoyle egg. Christy was raised human, but what was she really?

They had an appointment tomorrow during the day to check out a safehouse and see if Christy wanted to take Demona up on her offer of rent free living. Demona had cancelled a meeting with the head of one of her research departments in order to have time to show Christy the place.

As the sun went down the transformation pain kept her from pondering the look and small smile Christy had given her in response to her offer of a place to live. Once she was herself again she stepped outside and took to the air. She needed to glide and clear her mind.

It was a surprise to see someone gliding a few blocks ahead of her when she looked up from the traffic on the streets. Demona moved closer to the buildings to be less visible. She managed to get closer and could see it was Angela with Christy in her arms.

"What are they doing?" Demona muttered as she cut around a building to get closer. As Demona came around the building Angela had gained altitude. When Angela just tossed the woman in her arms into the air and away from her Demona gasped. Demona started to dive hard as Christy fell.

"NO!" Demona yelled out, desperate not to miss she wasn't going to make it. She paid no attention to Angela's surprised yell at being caught attempting to murder Demona's, whatever Christy was to her.

Christy's arms and legs spread out and Demona's eyes widened when what had been a plummet to the ground started to be a glide towards the river.

Angela dove after Christy and Demona found herself gliding slowly above the action, staring in disbelief as Christy had sprouted web wings like Lexington and her clothing seemed to have changed into something like a onepiece with missing sides so that the new wings could be exposed.

"Um, Christy." Angela's eyes moved up and Demona could see her daughter staring at her. "Your secret isn't one anymore. Mother's here."

"What?" Christy sounded surprised and Demona moved to flank the female's other side. Christy wobbled in the air and started to lose altitude when she turned to look at her.

"Web Wings can't move their arms as they turn to look at anything." Demona spoke to correct Christy's form. "Just move your head, or you lose the draft and start drifting." Still Demona stared in surprise at a light green Christy. Demona took in an odd looking tail, because it was thin and had some type of tip. Christy's feet were vaguely birdlike.

"You ruined my surprise." Christy told her.

"She asked me to help." Angela spoke quietly, studying Demona carefully. "And she told me that it was safe to drop her." Demona just narrowed her eyes rather than scold Angela just yet, and Angela looked away.

"Um, looks like we have a building coming up. Anyone want to tell me how to turn?"

…..

Christy sighed heavily as she watched Angela land on the museum roof, knowing she was next. This was not going to be pretty. "You know, I had planned to practice before you saw me. You ruined my chance to pretend I knew what I was doing." Christy said to Demona, who was gliding in with her.

"Well, now I get to help you learn to do it right. The clan is a bit lazy about technique." Demona grinned at her and angled down. The roof came up fast and Christy took two running steps and a tumble before being able to come to a stop.

"If your feet were right you'd have an easier time of that." Demona told her.

Christy glanced down at the copy of Nightcrawler's feet she'd used for the night. She could shift back to human now that they were on the ground, but Christy suspected it was a better idea not to. She was working to be accepted as other than human in Demona's mind.

"Anything rather new to me takes a bit of work to learn." Christy glanced at Demona's legs. "Someone has to help me with it. In my last world my teacher was a shifter as well and she'd help me, which is how I got this tail and these feet, but it took time." She held her arms out to indicate the wings. "Lex was a nervous wreck wondering why I kept touching him, and this is a relatively simple shift. I need models to improve my form."

"How does having models help? What do you do?" Angela asked and Christy remembered how she had to do that in the beginning; the long inspections, the gentle touches, as she examined the range and motion of a new body part. That touching lead to more with her teacher. Perhaps it was time to go back to the old ways, Christy thought mischievously. She'd learned to do it faster, but she could use this.

"It's intimate. I need to touch and watch the body part I'm trying to copy, and run it through its range of motion while I feel the muscles underneath so I can learn how everything seems to be connected. Once I have it though, it becomes easier and easier to use when I practice." Christy glanced at Demona. "If someone would help me I could become a gargoyle."

"I should really get back to the castle." Angela said.

"I can find my way back by foot if I can't get the wings working right. Thanks for your help." She turned to Demona. "That is if you want to finish up the tutoring?" Christy leaned in to speak to just Demona, "Oh and this is not a date, that might affect your decision."

Demona glanced at Angela before answering Christy. "If you are going to impersonate a gargoyle, I want you to do it right."

Christy watched the young female glide away until she was pretty sure that she was out of hearing range. "She needed a break from the history lessons they are all getting. Elisa came through for us, and the clan is a bit confused right now."

"Hopefully they will learn something, but don't get your hopes up too high." Demona sighed and moved to lean up against the building they were on. "It is hardly the first time Goliath realized something is wrong it doesn't mean he will actually do anything about it."

"I'll settle for not getting in my way," Christy said. "I told him I'm going to ruin the Quarrymen with scandals and set ups. If he can sit back on that much I can do enough damage without having to kill any, or at least many, people." She looked up to see Demona studying her. "I'm not making a martyr out of that Castaway asshole. If he dies once everyone thinks he's trash, I'm fine with that, but I'm not creating a movement in his name. Image has to die first."

"I would like to be involved in your plots." Demona spoke with more than a hint of scolding.

"I'm sorry, did I assume too much? I didn't think you'd need to be invited." Christy shook her head, still with a smile on her face and looked over Central Park. Demona walked up to stand beside her. "I'm going for subtle with him. I don't like how popular he's become. Diving down and killing him won't help nearly as much as you might think it would."

"You think I can't do subtle?" Demona asked. "We will see then, won't we?"

Christy glanced down at Demona's legs, and her feet in particular. "Are we working on gliding tonight, or fixing my form?"

"You're going to follow me to Nightstone and we'll see about fixing those feet of yours. You'll never land properly with those." Demona said and then leapt off the building. Christy let out a heavy sigh looking over the edge as she considered where she might fall if she couldn't take off on her own.

….

Christy was adjusting to those web wings. Hatchlings born with them had more problem learning to use them. It made Demona wonder if Christy's natural form had wings. Christy couldn't tell Demona what she looked like, but perhaps she was always meant to learn to glide.

Christy was strong and adjusted to the currents pretty well. It was a shame about Christy choosing web wings, those warriors were at a slight disadvantage in a battle. Having your arms free of your wings enabled one to use weapons as well, but Christy wouldn't have that. Still, it did make sense that extra limbs would take more to learn, and Christy being able to glide was an advantage she might need now.

When they approached Nightstone Demona took the lead to show Christy where she should land on the rooftop. Christy once again had a hopping landing because her feet weren't right.

"How important is the tail? I like that mine is flexible." Christy asked as Demona held the roof access door open for her. Christy walked passed Demona and used that tail to caress the spur on Demona's knee. Christy then used the tail to open the second door and held it open for Demona to lead the way downstairs.

"Okay, if that tail doesn't interfere with your gliding, it might be worth saving." Demona agreed a little reluctantly, because it did look odd. They'd have to explore what it could do. Demona blushed at her own thought, as she realized that Christy had hinted it was useful in intimate ways.

"I do appreciate your help in this." Christy spoke softly.

"Yes, well," Demona glanced back at the female following her and considered that this is where she should make a move and try to cement a stronger alliance. She needed to maintain Christy's interest in her, because the female was proving to be more and more valuable. Demona would be so angry with herself if Christy slipped through her talons, when it was so clear the female wanted to be won over. "You'll make a good gargoyle." Demona gave a slightly flirty smile at Christy as she stopped in the hall just outside of her office door.

She was supposed to be seducing, she had to remember that, but it felt so odd when she did anything that fit into that goal. She was going to have to at least feign interest tonight, it was too intimate what they were going to be doing and Demona had to keep Christy's hope alive.


	4. Chapter 4

Demona glanced around the room and Christy watched the gargoyle consider and then dismiss the idea of sitting in her office chair for this. Given a few fantasies Christy had about high power office types, it was a relief to not deal with the chair and large desk for this. Still, Christy's eyes lingered on the chair longingly for just a moment, before she followed Demona to the couch.

"How do you normally do this?" Demona asked.

"It might seem like a massage, and I move the limb I'm trying to copy to feel how it moves." Christy glanced down at the feet. "What I have on now is the closest I've ever come to what you have and as you can see it isn't really close at all."

"So you're saying this could take a while?" Demona came to the conclusion Christy was hoping she would. "Well, I guess we should get started then. I have a time limit in my true form now." Demona sat down and Christy sat on the floor in front of her. Christy tilted her head down just a little and looked up through her eyelashes she gave a teasing nibble to her lower lip and watched Demona give her a strange look. Christy gently reached out to take the gargoyle's foot into her hand.

"The knee spurs do anything? Do I need those?" Christy asked while facing Demona with the foot in her lap. As she looked up she glanced at the loincloth and then into Demona's eyes with a small smile. "You wearing underwear?" She teased and watched a light blush cover the gargoyles' face.

"The spurs just are, but sometimes they are used in battle. Humans are soft, and if you get them in the stomach they are down forever. It is just disgusting to have to wash the blood off."

"Good to know." Christy lifted the foot and gently moved the toes while her other hand held the leg higher to feel how the muscles under the skin moved. She gently moved the ankle. "Are there other motions I haven't tried that you do?" Christy asked and looked up to see Demona watching her work with an odd look on her face.

"No, you seem to have it all." Demona said, and Christy gave her a small smile before moving her hands up the leg a little more.

"Can you slowly repeat those motions so I can feel how they translate to these muscles?"

Christy moved her hand placement up Demona's leg and felt for the muscle placement as Demona ran her foot through its motions. Demona was quiet and gave a measuring look that made Christy wonder when the last time someone touched Demona with any gentleness was.

"I'm going to repeat this with your other leg." Christy gently pulled her hands from one leg and shifted on the floor until she was placed for that other leg. One leg was enough, but she decided to give Demona some more touch. It wasn't sexual, but it was doing something.

Christy only went as far as Demona's knee, but this time she gently pressed around the knee spur. "Is this a vulnerability?" Christy asked.

"Don't slam it into anything hard, or you'll have trouble walking for a while." Demona told her, her voice slower than normal.

"Okay, let's see if I have it." Christy sat on the couch next to Demona and focused on the new feet and lower legs. She had her eyes closed as she visualized, because this was a larger shift than normal for her, so the hand on her new knee spur was a surprise.

"Can you move your feet?" Demona asked. Christy repeated the motions she'd seen the gargoyle do and the slight smile grew on Demona's face.

"Shall we fix your arms now?" Demona asked and Christy smiled at the hint of excitement in the gargoyle.

"I still haven't tried to walk." Christy reminded Demona.

"I'll teach you, but I just thought it might be best to fix your form completely first."

"Okay. I'm going to try and keep my fifth finger, so this is going to be trickier."

"Why keep it?" Demona asked, looking at Christy's hands.

"I use them all." Christy pouted when Demona chuckled.

"I have five during the day and that little one isn't worth the extra effort to keep it." Demona said. Christy let herself be mocked to keep the playful atmosphere.

Christy started to massage the hand in her own, and Demona stopped talking to watch as Christy ran fingers over talons slowly. "These can cut into stone, how do you keep from hurting yourself with them?"

"We just do." Demona sighed and Christy moved the fourth and last finger around carefully. "You have to hold the muscles tight to slash hard enough to cut stone."

Can you do that while I feel?" Christy asked. It made sense that something had to change so that the gargoyles could cut stone at one moment and caress a lover in the next. Demona's fingers spread and Christy felt how strong and taunt the muscles got. When Christy moved her grip to the wrist, Demona went through a range of motion without being asked, moving talons individually, clenching to cut stone. Christy kept moving her hands up Demona's arms to feel the muscles.

"You're very strong. We might need to compare so I know if I can measure up to what a gargoyle should be able to do." Christy spoke softly. "I can make myself stronger, up to a point." Her eyes stayed on the blue skin under her hands. "Do you have to work out to stay this strong?" Christy did her best not to smirk.

"All warriors should work out, but once the spell was put on me I was returned to my prime and it takes little effort to maintain." Demona answered her seriously. "You know the spell I'm talking about, don't you?"

"Yeah, I saw some of that being cast." Christy stopped her movements and looked into Demona's eyes. "I guess it would be fair to tell you I haven't aged since I 'changed' a little over ten years ago. I know I said I was not just like other shapeshifters, but my teacher hasn't aged in maybe sixty years." Demona study her face, so Christy spoke more softly. "I'm in my mid-forties."

"You think this will continue." Demona said. "You look a little younger than my human form, not much though."

"I was a little older than thirty when I changed, so I stay thirty. I expect in another hundred years I'll still look thirty." Demona's eyes widen. "I'm also not immortal, but I'm damned hard to kill."

"Could you be Fey? They don't age after a certain point and they are hard to kill, nearly impossible as far as I can tell." Demona asked after a long silence.

"I don't think so. I have no magic." Christy knew what she was, or at least thought she knew, but she wanted more time before saying that to Demona. Christy was a mutant, a very powerful one, but a mutant. Her mother had given birth to her. She expected the comparison to the Fey from Demona, because that was what this world had. Mutants weren't really something Demona would consider.

Christy returned her attention to the arms she was working with, and the elbow spur as well. "If you decide you might like to have a relationship with me," Christy spoke softly, quietly, "I am capable of living much longer than a human or gargoyle. And I'm a shapeshifter, so if we needed to spice things up I'm more than capable of it." Christy gave Demona a small smile.

…..

Demona had to remember to clench her fist and release it. Christy was uniquely qualified for a relationship with Demona, or she would be, if she'd been a he. Long life, hard to kill, an understanding of the dangers of the world, Christy could even be a gargoyle. Demona found herself enjoying her time with the shapeshifter, and they shared so many goals. For a moment Demona almost wished it could happen, but there was a major flaw that Christy wasn't acknowledging and Demona wasn't going to destroy her hope by uttering it now. Demona was not gay. She'd only ever been with males before, and never entertained the idea of being with her clan sisters.

Males that always let her down Demona thought and her fist clenched harder than needed to give Christy a sense of how the muscles works.

When Christy held her own arms out and Demona watched the green flesh change and shift into a gargoyle arm, complete with the four talons, she watched it move and clench. "Do you want wings like mine?" Demona asked softly, unsure if she was ready for that much intimacy. What Christy was doing was already more touching, nice, caring, exploring touch than she'd had in a thousand years. Thailog had never been this gentle or sweet with her, never this interested in what made her tick, or how she was put together in any way. She was not going to tell Christy and make it even more awkward.

"I think I need to stick with what I have for now. I have to relearn to walk, new limbs aren't a good idea on top of that." Christy said but then her new talons moved to her forehead. "Should I have bumps?"

"It's called a browridge." Demona smiled at the ignorance. "You can do without it." Demona told her, because Christy really shouldn't be touching anyone's browridge, and Demona was not willing to go that far to make Christy more authentic.

Christy's arms, legs, hands and feet all looked right. The tail was still far too thin and stringy, but it had enough usefulness to leave it alone. Demona took in the pointed ears, much like a gargoyles but since Christy came here with them were likely modeled after something else. The slightly longer canines looked right, but then her face still held human looking eyes and the smooth forehead. Christy was starting to really come together, and Demona could see the female was going to earn some unwanted attention from the young males once they saw her. Christy needed some work still, but her form was that of an attractive female gargoyle now.

"We are still on for tomorrow, right?" Christy asked even as Demona led the now more gargoyle looking female to the roof for more gliding practice, and landing, lots of landing practice.

"The apartment is relatively spacious for a place in downtown New York." Demona started to talk about the place. She needed the female away from the clan before things could really take off with their plans, and getting her away from Fox seemed like a good idea as well.

….

Christy was not really graceful yet, but she was feeling like she could at least get from place to place in the air now. If she had to dodge anything she'd be out of luck, but she could turn and move up or down, she could maintain a straight course as well.

"Get up as high as you can as soon as you can." Demona was telling her as they started in the direction of the castle. "I wish I could see their face when you land." Demona had a mischievous grin.

Demona was making sure she got home okay and Christy smiled over at the blue female when she thought about that. "There is a current over here that is moving up steep. Follow me."

Christy did and the air current did push her up faster than she'd expected as she followed Demona to higher air. The castle was the highest point in the city, and so Christy needed to go higher than she'd been before. Looking down it was a little intimidating. Christy had fallen out of the air before, had some good jumps too, but she didn't want to fall that far.

"I think I should leave you now. If I get closer there is a chance this will turn into a battle." Demona sighed. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Looking forward to it. Maybe we could get some Italian for lunch." Christy offered as she continued on to the building.

Christy focused on her ascent and approach to the castle, making sure she had the right elevation in time. Brooklyn approached her fast looking ready for battle, but Christy could tell the moment he recognized her because his beak opened in shock. She got around him easily to come in and land in the castle courtyard.

"Jalapena" Lex said. Christy turned to see she had nearly the entire clan staring at her in shock. Christy smirked.

"Yeah, that's right, I'm a shapeshifter." She teased and winked at a curious looking Angela as she made her way towards the doorway.

"Looking good." Angela spoke up with a hint of surprise. Christy stopped and noticed that Angela was checking on the changes in her form with a cautious expression on her face. Angela knew what it would have taken to make those changes. Christy just gave the female a mysterious smile when Angela looked back at her face. Things were at least going well enough that Demona was letting Christy touch her for this.

"Thanks, I'm working on it."

"Those are like my wings." Lex said and moved a little closer.

"You're green now." Broadway moved in closer as well.

In just a moment Christy was surrounded by the younger gargoyles who were studying her new form. "Your tail is a bit thin," Brooklyn said.

"It's an improvement on the original design. My tail does tricks." She lifted it up and wrapped it around Angela's arm jerking the poor girl forward and catching her with her arms. Christy was careful with the new talons though, not wanting to hurt her. "I can use it to catch girls." She teased as Angela blushed and Lex chuckled.

Angela stepped back once she was steady again and rolled her eyes, but Christy thought she saw some amusement there.

"Why did you pick my wing design?" Lex asked.

"I didn't grow up with seven limbs, so it's harder to control that many. I grew up with four and now I have five." Christy wiggled her tail in the air to point out the addition. "I wanted to stay in the air, and going right to seven seemed a bad idea."

"You look like a real gargoyle." Broadway told her with a smile.

"Almost, I need to do more tweaking." Christy rubbed her forehead. "What's considered attractive in those browridges?" She still wanted to tweak the form for that third date and she did want to be attractive.

It looked like the boys were blushing, and when Christy glanced at Angela she was blushing too.

"Well, um, prominent is good." Lex stammered.

"Yeah, and if you can get a few," Broadway touched a few more prominent lumps on his own. "A few of those are good."

"Some horns might work." Brooklyn added.

"Yeah, horns are good." Broadway agreed.

"Ugh, horns I might get caught up in trees or something until I get used to those." Christy glanced at Brooklyn's horns. "Do women like horns?"

"Not that you could tell by Brooklyn, but yeah." Lex laughed.

"Can I touch?" Christy asked, moving closer to Brooklyn, while studying how his horns curved up over his head.

"Whoa, whoa," Brooklyn stepped back with wide eyes.

"Um, Christy," Angela spoke more softly. "You don't just touch someone's browridge. It's a little… Well, it's a little intimate for a casual touch. It's like a kiss."

"Oh," Christy glanced around at the embarrassed looking males around here. "Well, that complicates things." Browridges were a part of attractiveness. She was going to need to add one. "Still, I'm game if anyone else is?" She grinned wickedly. It wasn't like she hadn't kissed anyone for a mission.

Based on the shocked looks, perhaps there was more to it than she realized. Christy lost the grin and spoke more gently, so she wouldn't be thought of as a complete slut. "I'm trying to make myself look right and I just thought I should feel a browridge before trying to make one. What do they feel like?" The boys were swallowing hard and Christy thought she saw a loincloth move on its own.

"Come on, let's get you out of here before you put your new foot any further in your mouth." Angela sighed and took Christy's hand. "I guess mother didn't explain about browridges." Angela asked quietly as they made their way into the castle properly.

"No, not really. She just told me I didn't need one when I asked to copy hers." Christy admitted and noticed Angela's eyes widen at her words. "Did I ask to feel her up? Is that what I did? Did I just do that out there too?"

"Pretty much." Angela grimaced, but then there was a hint of amusement in the growing smile. "Touching a browridge is a pretty strong sign of affection, and if it isn't family doing it, well, then it's kind of like asking to rub between someone's wings, not really appropriate."

Christy absorbed that as they walked. "I was going to ask you if I could feel your wings when I was ready for seven limbs." Angela's head jerked around to stare at her. Christy just shrugged. "I wanted them to be a surprise to Demona, but I guess that's out huh?" Christy gave Angela a teasing smirk, "Or are you willing to help me out here?"

"Ugh, look, if you want to copy anything off of anyone ask me first. I think if you'd asked one of the boys alone to touch their browridge they might have let you do it and never told you why you shouldn't. I'll tell you if you're making a mistake."

"Watching out for my virtue are you?" Christy teased.

"I can't believe you asked to touch Brooklyn's horns?" Angela shook her head and smiled. "He might follow you around for a few days to see if you're still interested."

"Do you think horns are the way I should go?" Christy asked, ignoring the rest of the comment.

"You might look good with some smaller ones." Angela admitted. "Don't have them stick straight out though, because couples will rub their browridges together and you want that to still be possible, if you, well, if you mate with a gargoyle." Angela stammered over her last words.

"Thanks." Christy stopped at her door still in gargoyle form. "Okay." She debated about inviting Angela in, but the hour was enough reason not to. "Have a good sleep." Christy smiled and slipped inside.

An hour later Christy snuck back out onto the castle walls and stared at the stone forms of the clan. She climbed up the turret that Brooklyn had perched on with her new talons and carefully pulled herself up beside him to get a better look at those horns.

She reached out slowly to see what they felt like, even though they were stone. "What are you doing?" Fox's voice interrupted her.

"Any chance you could never say anything about this?" Christy blushed and moved to sit on the turret and look down at Fox.

"I don't know. It looks kind of interesting."

"Seems that Brooklyn has the best browridge in the clan. It's considered sexy," Christy admitted. "I'm working on looking like a gargoyle and I want the best." She gave a guilty grin to the redhead who looked like she could start laughing at any moment. "oh shut up, just don't tell anyone I tried this." Christy stood up, spread her arms and dived off the turret.

She glided down to the courtyard next to Fox. The redhead stared at her with wide eyes. "You're gliding now."

"I have one more date with Demona and I'm trying to work up a good gargoyle form, because she's not responding to my human form." Christy sighed heavily as she admitted that. "I want her to ask for a fourth date, and I'm running out of chances to intrigue her. I want to feel a browridge, so I can try and copy it authentically. The problem is that asking to touch one is like walking up to a woman and asking to feel up her breasts."

"I'd say yes to that." Fox said.

"Yeah, but you're a bit more worldly than these guys." Christy smirked and shifted to a fully human form again. "When I asked the group if anyone wanted to help me out I'm sure I saw at least one loincloth tent."

"Who had the tent?" Fox asked.

"Brooklyn." Christy admitted and watched Fox's eyebrow raise. "Yes I know, it would be easy but I'm not sure it wouldn't be cruel. I don't see it as intimate, but they do."

"Tell him you're gay and doing it to attract Demona. If after that he's willing to play, well, you laid all your cards on the table and he's a big boy." Fox told her. "I don't know a human teen that would turn down a hand job from a pretty girl, even with that kind information, so I can't imagine he'll turn you down for this."

"I'll think about it."

"I'm surprised Brooklyn's the one with the sexy browridge. Horns are in I guess."

"That's what they said." Christy turned to look at the castle turrets. "I should get some sleep. I have an apartment to check out at noon."

"You could stay here," Fox said.

"Thanks for the offer, but I really think it's time to spread my wings." Christy nodded goodnight and made her way inside.

…..

Demona walked along the street she was meeting Christy she spotted the female she crossed the street to approach her. Christy was staring up at the building they were going to enter with her head tilted back to get a good view of the height.

Demona stood beside her. "Let's go inside."

"It looks like a nice place. Italian restaurant over there any good?" Christy pointed down the street.

"I find the lasagna is rather good." Demona said. She felt confident the apartment would finish the job for her.

Demona handed the keys to Christy while they waited for the elevator. She rarely saw this part of the place, as when she used it she came and went via air. She pressed the button for the penthouse, which she'd purchased the year construction on the castle began. She'd selected it because she'd have a rooftop garden to spend her days in stone. As they got out on the top floor Demona stepped out into the hall that led only to her door. "No neighbors." Demona pointed out and liked the approving nod Christy gave. "Top floor, easy gliding in and out."

"Well, shall we see what we have?" Christy used the key Demona had given her to open the door. Christy took a step into the apartment and smiled as she looked around. The place had a full sized kitchen, and a sunken main room that held a dining table and a sofa and recliner. The tv was merely adequate, but the way Christy barely glanced at it made Demona feel it wasn't a problem. There was a wall of windows that opened up to rooftop garden. Christy took another step into the place still looking around and spoke softly, "Sold."

Demona smiled. She'd keep a connection to Christy through this place. This cemented their alliance in a tangible way. Demona would provide for Christy's mundane needs so she wouldn't have to work and Christy would help Demona with bastards like Castaway. "Well, good. I thought I might actually have to show you around." Demona teased and closed the front door behind her.

"I wouldn't turn down a tour." Christy smiled at her over her shoulder. Demona liked the playful happiness in her eyes.

"Well, as you can see the kitchen is completely modern." She pointed it out. "Half bath." She pointed to a door on their left, before they moved down the step to the main room. "The bedroom is this way." She added as she noticed Christy's eyes lingering on the rooftop garden.

"Oh, that sounds like a pick up line. Not this month dear, we have a deal," Christy said. Demona cursed her fair skin as she blushed.

"I purchased a bed for you. It didn't need one the last time I lived here." Demona spoke as if she hadn't been embarrassed. She opened the double doors to the master suite.

"Damn." Christy whispered from behind her. "This place cost you a fortune, didn't it?"

Demona pointed out the master bathroom. "Not so secret hedonist?" Christy smiled when she noticed the large soaking tub.

Demona did like how Christy was studying that tub. "The hot water tank is more than adequate to fill that." Christy may have given a flippant 'sold' comment, but Demona was positive she had her.

"This place is amazing, but let's check out my landing pad."

This time Demona followed Christy out to the rooftop garden. The plants were in sad shape and they may need to replace a few. Still, Christy seemed impressed as she walked around.

"Even you should be able to land on this." Demona teased. Christy's landings had gotten better, but she was still clearly a novice. "Shall I order lunch delivered?"

"Sounds good. I'll try that lasagna you were talking about." Christy glanced over the wall to see the city beyond the plants. "This is going to work out well. We aren't too far from your work, you can visit me all the time." Christy was still looking out at the city when she said that and Demona was surprised at how good it felt to have someone want her to visit.

They sat down in the living room to wait for delivery. "Do you have to go back to work after this?"

"No, I cleared the afternoon schedule." She said.

"After lunch I think we should talk a little more about where I came from." Christy sounded resigned.

After lunch Christy started talking, her voice cracking at times, about the end of the world. Demona moved closer and grasped Christy's hand as the female shared her pain at learning that her world was going to die. Demona gritted her teeth and endured the strong grip that proved that Christy was stronger than Demona's human form. Eventually the grip loosened, but Christy didn't let go.

Christy's story brought back memories of her own horror at walking through the castle and around the grounds seeing the remains of her clan after the Viking attack. Christy spoke of months or years of loss, and every time a death came up Demona saw the ruined remains of her clan in that story. She was stunned that Christy had even this in common with her.

"I found food when there was none." Christy's voice cracked. "It was a desperate time and I was willing to do anything to stop burying people, children, every day." Christy turned haunted eyes to Demona. "I hunted the people who were hoarding the supplies and killing us. I hunted humans for food, Demona, and I fed that to my people without telling them what I'd done."

"You ate humans?" She asked sure she had heard that wrong.

"I did."

Demona felt sick, and her lunch was not sitting well with her. She hated humans, but to eat them seemed so wrong. "If it was just me I would have welcomed death instead, but I had a tribe, a clan, to watch out for and I couldn't make myself give up on them. I turned us into cannibals to live long enough to see the end of the world. I expected to die with everyone else. My change, the hints that I wasn't human, I was so distracted by the end of the world I never noticed."

"I will not judge you for wanting your clan to live." Demona whispered and watched tears streak down Christy's face. Christy took a few shaky breaths as Demona struggled to accept that no matter what kind of monster the others thought Demona was Christy was ten times that, and yet so vulnerable.

It was a horrible story with few happy moments. Hearing how Christy came to be the woman in front of her was heartbreaking. Demona pulled Christy closer to hold her. No one had been there to hold Demona after her own painful losses.

"I found out that I feed on death. I take in energy that's returned to the universe when someone dies." Christy spoke so quietly, and Demona pulled back from her enough to look into her face again. Christy started staring at Demona's hand in her own, rather than looking up. "The asteroid was beautiful, and so deadly and by the time it was coming in to hit I welcomed my death, and the end to the nightmare that had become my life, but that isn't what I got. It landed to the east of us. Waves of energy, of death, hit me before the shockwave and I was transformed. I screamed and a portal to my second world appeared. I was tossed into a world that was still alive, one that I thought was just fiction, and my body was altered to be what it is now."

There was a moment of silence that Demona felt needed to be respected and she let Christy hold her hand as she struggled with what she was learning. Demona knew of no creatures that ate death like Christy said she did, at least none that were real.

"I became the last survivor of a world." Christy shook her head. "It took time to realize that I had powers, and that I wasn't what I was looking at in the mirror. I was something else underneath all of that. I tried creating another little clan of my own, from children that the world wasn't treating right, mutants that society hated, and in that I ended up joining forces with the people fighting to protect mutants from the humans. I joined another war for survival, because I understood what it was to lose and I didn't want other people to feel loss like that."

Demona could see that Christy was still living by that, because Christy was inserting herself into Demona's war. Christy just moved from battle to battle, and Demona may have been fighting a thousand years, off and on, but she felt like a hatchling compared to the battles Christy must have seen.

Demona respected Christy so much more now. She also was a bit wary of her as well. Christy really was willing to do anything, and it was a bit horrifying to imagine it. Demona thought she had no limits to what she'd do for her people, but hearing Christy, it made her think she just hadn't found those limits yet.

Christy spoke after another long silence. "I'm a bit of a monster, I hear. I lived in that last world a little over ten years. I fought for them for nearly all that time, I fought beside them, I killed for them, I sacrificed for them, I slept with the enemy for them. Any of my remaining "I'll nevers" died in that world. I know that I really will do anything, anything at all, for people I care about. I won that battle for survival for them. And in the end, when some kid with an odd power was able to show them the monster I used to be, almost everyone turned on me. I was able to count my real friends on my hands, after I'd saved thousands, perhaps millions of lives, in the end I could only trust my teacher, two of my students, and Annie's lovers."

Demona did her best to ignore the tears in her own eyes, and she was surprised at how much it hurt to hear this. Christy was betrayed, it was obvious, of course she would have been. "My teacher, the shapeshifter, she did what she could to draw the government away from where I was. She almost got captured pretending to be me, but she got away, and I left there safe because I pretended to be her as I said my goodbyes. Someone had realized I was meeting up with her and we switched identities to buy me time to run. My students, god, they were just kids when I met them. Erik was taken into custody by the people I used to work with, who were now hunting me. Someone had realized I visited him, and so they were checking to see if he knew where I was. He did, he knew the plan and yet we managed to get so far before Annie's girlfriends told us that they could sense people coming for me while we were preparing. He had to have fought so hard to give us that time. Annie helped arrange a public escape for me, so that everyone would know I left. I did that so they wouldn't go after the few people who had stood by my side, thinking I was still there. Annie found a way to give me the luck spell I told you about, it was an experiment, but she wanted me safe and she did what she could for me. I had to leave them behind, because the people hunting me were catching on. All they would have had to do to catch me was hold onto Erik, and threaten him. I would have had to go back then, knowing they were likely going to lock me up forever or kill me, I would have had to go back. You don't turn your back on someone that was willing to go through hell for you, I was never going to do that."

"Even though they had done that to you, the others." Demona asked softly and watched Christy's face crumble in pain. "You gave them everything, and as soon as they didn't need you anymore, as soon as they realized your skills were so hard won, they betrayed you."

Christy's eyes closed, and her voice was a whisper. "I knew you would understand."

"I do, I do." Demona whispered back.

It took a little time, but Christy calmed down. Demona waited for that before asking any questions, not wanting to push now. If she'd known how hard this story really was, she'd like to think she would have given Christy more time to get comfortable with her before telling it, but Demona knew that without hearing she never would have understood the pain involved.

"What is a mutant?" Demona asked and noticed that Christy seemed reluctant to answer.

"Evolution, a mutant is the result of evolution. They can be born from human parents, but their genetics are on the next level and they are born with powers. Telepaths, healers, telekinetics, shifters, so many different powers." Christy looked up at Demona.

"Humans have the ability to evolve like that?" Demona asked, horrified by the thought of that much power in human hands.

"Humans shunned my kind and tried to kill us." Christy spoke firmly. "In my last world we had to fight to be allowed life, because people feared difference that much. Just like here, it wasn't all the humans, but it only took a few in the right places to make it dangerous."

Demona could sense that this was not a welcome line of questions, and for once she let it go. Christy had shed enough pain for her today. When she looked up Demona found she was surprised to see that it was nearly nightfall. "I'm going to have to change here." She spoke suddenly and Christy looked at her quickly, before following her attention to see the fading sunlight.

"Get out of what you can, I didn't see any clothes here." Christy said even as Demona was kicking off her shoes. Demona was not pleased, she had not wanted to show Christy this part, but she managed to toss the suit jacket off before it hit. The shirt would be a lost cause.

The pain of her body enduring the change was impossible not to scream at and Demona did. Her shirt ripped to let her wings out and her hands and feet always hurt the most for some reason. She stood panting in the main room with a serious looking Christy once the pain stopped. "Sorry, I didn't realize I was keeping you so late."

Demona gave her a disbelieving look. "I think I can forgive that." She managed, still shocked at the apology at all. She took a few steps as she looked for her briefcase. It had a spare set of night clothes in it.

"Your browridge is the same shape as your crown thing." Christy said and Demona paused in opening the briefcase to look up at her. "Why do you wear that crown?"

"I like it." Demona muttered and looked back into her briefcase. The crown highlighted her browridge nicely, made it stick out. It also kept anyone from getting too close to it. Demona grabbed her clothes and moved to the bedroom to change.

"When do you think you'll move in?" Demona asked as she came back out more comfortably dressed.

"Maybe another week, maybe less." Christy's words surprised her. She had expected the answer to be tomorrow. "I think I need to have another hard conversation with the clan before I leave. I've just been waiting for them to absorb the last lesson I had Elisa teach them. Maybe I'll start that tonight."

"I've tried to talk to them." Demona sighed with the frustration that had caused.

"I think you were too extreme for them to accept. I'm a bit more middle of the track. I've loved humans in the past, and I'm not saying they all have to go. That should be easier for them to accept. They seem to be doing better with that." Christy was still sitting, her arms stretched out along the top of the couch as she stared at Demona. "Can you accept that? I believe some people will need to die, some will need to be stopped in other ways, and some we can just leave alone. If we can find the right mix of action we won't have as much opposition and we can succeed in what we need to do."

Demona frowned, but she nodded. She'd give this a chance and if it didn't work Christy was smart enough to see it wasn't working. Demona could push at that point. Given everything else Christy was willing to do to protect those she cared about, Demona just needed to make sure Christy cared about gargoyles, and perhaps limit her contact with humans so that the caring doesn't backfire by going the other way.

Demona moved to stand behind the couch, behind Christy, and she moved her talons gently through Christy's hair. "You've had a rather hard day." Demona spoke softly, gently. "A rather hard life." She whispered as she moved her hands to rest on Christy's shoulders. "But you aren't alone anymore." Perhaps for her own people, Demona would break one of her 'I'll nevers' as Christy had called them. She needed this female on her side, and Demona would need to do anything she could to get her, because Christy succeeds in what she sets out to do, and Demona was so very tired of failing.

Christy understood as well, and no one had ever done that before. No crime Demona had ever committed would be too much for Christy to accept, no history too horrifying for her to look past. Christy understood so much, and Demona wanted to want her, and wasn't that at least something? Demona wanted to keep her, make her the best gargoyle she could be and have a clan with her, to be not alone anymore seemed a foreign idea after all these years. Wanting to want, she was going to work with that, she was going to make that enough, because she did not want to lose this.

Demona hugged Christy before gliding off, and she held her tight when she did it.


	5. Chapter 5

Christy watched as Demona made her way back towards Nightstone. She watched as the gargoyle disappeared from view. "God, I hope that worked." She whispered. She'd let herself feel it all, bared all her pain, in the hopes that Demona would grow the empathy needed in the future. Her luck was all Christy had to navigate that complicated gargoyle.

Christy made sure the front door of her new apartment was locked and she glanced at the kitchen to see what there was already there and what she might need to buy, before moving to the rooftop garden to practice her own gliding. She jumped off and caught the wind to take her back to the castle. Her mood was already rather dark, she might as well see about that other conversation she'd been waiting for.

The castle was lit well and Christy had no trouble seeing that she had an audience for her upcoming landing. She sighed heavily and took note of who was here, and it looked like the Detective had been invited for dinner and that Brooklyn and Lexington had wandered off. Christy landed as carefully as she could and looked around to see she was once again the center of attention.

"Christy, what were you doing looking like that?" Goliath started to speak up, after the stunned look at her when she landed in the castle wore off. Based on his surprise it was apparent he'd gotten home too late to talk to anyone the night before, and somehow hadn't talked to anyone yet today, even though they must have been awake almost an hour already.

"I was learning to glide," She stopped his words and turned around to stare at the clan leader. It had been a few days since Elisa confirmed her stories, maybe they could talk about this now. Christy really wanted to get it over with, she wanted to move into actually doing something before someone got hurt. "Did Elisa explain to you the damage misguided humans can cause?" She watched the slight flinch in a few gargoyles. They had not brought this up since last time. "I was right, and you didn't want to hear me. I hope next time I tell you something you at least consider it."

"We aren't about to become like Demona, killing them all to punish a few." Goliath spoke up firmly and crossed his arms in front of him, proving his was trying to close her out. "Surely you can see how that is wrong."

"You're right, it is wrong, just like doing nothing is wrong. The answer lies between the two." Christy spoke calmly. She looked around at everyone watching them talk, and the odd looks she was getting from Elisa as she took in the new form was slightly distracting. Christy had to shake that off and refocus on Goliath. She wanted to do this with Hudson and the others around, because he seemed a bit stubborn at times and she didn't care how she got through to them all, as long as she did. "I protect the underdog, the one that needs it the most, and in this world it's your people. I know you don't want to believe that, but it's true. This battle to make sure your race survives is well in effect and I'm late to the party, I'm actually worried I'm too late."

"It is never too late to fight." Goliath spoke and Christy shook her head from side to side.

"At some point it will be impossible to win, even if you do win." He looked puzzled and so she elaborated. "If I wanted to destroy your clan, if I wanted to kill off your clan, if I were Castaway." Christy shook her head and sighed, her tone becoming softer. "I'd only need to kill one gargoyle. Have you even considered that? You are that vulnerable that one death would destroy your entire clan." She saw the puzzled looks on Broadway's face and turned to him, this should matter a hell of a lot to him. "If he wanted to make sure your clan was gone in a hundred years, which gargoyle would he have to kill?"

"Me." Angela spoke quietly.

Christy turned to the sick looking female, her eyes gentling as she took in Angela. The poor female joined this clan later, and now held it all together. "Right, at this moment the entire clan's future is based on you. Just you. Now can you repopulate this clan to a safe size?" Angela's head shook slowly from side to side. "How many gargoyles could you have, if you lived your entire life?"

"Three, lasses only have three." Hudson answered, sparing Angela from this. Christy looked over at him and she could see his sad eyes. He understood what she was saying completely. Did this clan ever let themselves think about this? It was no longer a confrontation, Christy was breaking bad news as gently and firmly as she could, because they needed to accept this to accept what needed to be done to stop it.

"And they couldn't pair up, so that leaves one more generation for this clan, before it disappears." Christy took a shaky breath and looked at Goliath. "Do you know of any clans that are in better shape for survival than your own?"

"There are a couple, but none of them are in a very strong position." Goliath spoke quietly. He looked like he was really thinking about what she was saying, so Christy decided to say it all.

"Three, every female is only capable of three and that's if they live the entire life they have, and they find a male mate. How long will it take to pull your people out of the path of extinction?" Christy let the tears in her eyes fall, rather than cover it up. "If I don't do something soon we have no hope of saving you all for the future and I don't want to see a future without gargoyles. I don't want Demona to see that future she's trying so hard to prevent. She's been fighting this battle alone, and she needed help. It's no surprise she's losing, that's too much pressure for anyone. Anyone would start to lose perspective, to get desperate, to use methods that won't work just because they feel they need to do something and they are just one person." Angela seemed far more receptive to her words than Goliath, but even he was listening now.

Christy took a shaky breath, it was hard to tell anyone something like this. She'd been told something similar at one time and she understood that pain. She still hated the woman that told them all it was ending on her home world, but that was because there was no hope, there was a hint of hope here now. "The thing is at this point, just stopping the killing isn't enough. If I had a magic wand and could just make all the humans stop the killing, there is a good chance that gargoyles will still go extinct within a few more generations. There just aren't enough to continue."

Angela started to cry and Broadway pulled her into a hug. Christy hated hurting them, but it needed to be done. Still, it was time to point out there was hope.

'I don't know if that means more money needs to go into learning about cloning, or if money needs to be spent on finding ways to increase the number of kids a gargoyle can have, but something else HAS to happen. I'm late to the party, and this war is almost lost already. I haven't been able to make myself tell Demona this yet, to point out how the battle she's fought alone for a thousand years is almost over and she's not on the winning side. She's just so happy to have help now, that she hasn't taken the time to consider that I'm too late. It's going to take the humans' science to save you all. The people that caused this will be needed to reverse it." Christy shook her head and tried to ignore the tears in so many eyes. "I'm so sorry to tell you this, I wish I had better news, but I'm going to do everything I can to try and fix this. And yes, I may break laws and I may have to kill a few people, but I will not kill off the human race, because doing that is condemning you all to death as well. I'll show Demona that at some point, when she's willing to hear it. I'm working on making her more willing to hear that. If you want to help ME save you, then at least stay out of my way. This is what I do, I fight for life, and I fight hard and I fight dirty. It's a fight you should want me to win. "

"Okay, you think about it." Christy spoke softer, seeing a lot of gargoyles that appeared to be beyond their ability to take in information, they looked a bit shocked. It was a lot she was asking them to pick up lately and this was just on the heels of learning that misguided humans were deadly too. "If you go after me though, gloves will be off because I'm not losing this. I'd fight with everything I have and even if you won, you'd hate yourself for it because you'd really be losing. I'm needed here."

Christy got to her rooms easily after that, no one was even considering following her. She found Xanatos and Fox had come out and they stood solemnly as she walked by. He spoke quietly. "I'll see if I can get some numbers, projections. They will all have to see that to really believe, especially her."

"Good." She nodded, it was a good idea, proof because tomorrow they may want to deny what she said. It wasn't like she hadn't gone into denial when she heard that humans were going to go extinct in her home world, she wouldn't be surprised if the gargoyles tried that as well. "It would help if you could find out what went wrong with the clones." Christy spoke just as softly, stopping a moment in front of them. "That might be the answer, I don't like it, but we're well past desperate times. We need slip a few extra eggs under poor Angela at the very least, ones that don't share genetics with this clan already, because we need more than one generation here. If we could move DNA from other clans into this area it would help. This is going to be huge, worldwide, or it isn't going to work."

"We should have a meeting, do some planning." Fox spoke up.

Christy nodded, and glanced back at the clan. She'd leave them out of it for now, because she needed people willing to consider solutions, and Goliath was likely going to have to be dragged into the light. Her eyes did meet Elisa's though. "Get her to come too; we need her to talk them into whatever will work, that means we need to convince her that it's time to step well out of the box."

"What about Demona? Are you planning on including her in this meeting?" Xanatos asked.

Christy started to walk, with the couple moving with her. "There are a few legs of this effort and I'm going to bring her into this one after I've shown her I'm serious about the other. We need a decisive victory to give her hope back to her, and that is when these other ideas will sound better. We'll fight and deal with the threat, and you guys can work on the repopulation problem." Christy stopped at the elevator doors. "I'm late to the party, but that just means I have to party harder." Her expression was a grim smile. "I'm going to destroy Castaway and his people, completely destroy them. I'm going to go after the District Attorney, I don't like her attitude. I'm going to set up a few nice moments for the Mayor so he doesn't even consider doing something to piss me off. We have to control New York, we can't branch out until we're secure here."

The elevator doors opened, and Christy shifted to her human form and stepped inside, looking back at the billionaires that would make this possible. "Tell me when the meeting is, and I'll be there. I'm moving out soon though, so it would be nice to have it in the next few days. You should have seen the apartment she offered me, it's amazing." She gave Fox a tiny grin of triumph. The doors closed and Christy let out a long breath. They'd need some research before meeting, so she was pretty sure it wouldn't be tomorrow.

….

The meeting ended up being scheduled a few days out, like she suspected and so Christy had the next day to herself. With one date left, and her time living near the clan down to a few more days, Christy spent the next evening stalking one of the gargoyles, in spite of her knowing better. Demona was driving her a little insane, because Christy was really going to do it, just to attract her. It seemed like an accident, slipping into the room he was in, but it wasn't. She'd noticed him wander off alone and followed.

She had taken to wearing her gargoyle form that night, and when she walked across the room to see if there were any good dvd's to watch she saw him watching her out of the corner of her eye. She glanced over the collection, all while watching him watch her. He liked what she looked like, it was easy with him. Christy ran a finger over the dvd spines slowly, caressing the edge as she pretended to read the titles, before pulling one out to read the back of it. She looked up as if just noticing him. "Have you ever seen this? Is it good?"

He moved closer to look at the box she held. "Yeah, that's a good one." He looked up. "I thought chicks liked the romantic comedies?"

Christy shook her head and grinned. "I'm a superspy, I don't think you can call me a 'chick'." She pointed at another movie. "I can't watch those anymore, I can't stop myself from criticizing their missions. If you do it right, there is no car chase."

"I guess so." He gave her a grin, and even with his different shaped face she could tell she had him, in fact she had too much of him. This was going to be a delicate mission indeed.

A sound down the hall drew her attention to the doorway. She did not want anyone joining them. "Hey," she looked back at him. "Want to watch this with me?"

"Ah," His eyes widened. "Yeah, sure." He spoke too fast for it to be smooth.

"Great," She smiled at him. "Let's go." She started for the door, and she noticed him look at the tv in the room, puzzled by her action. "I have a tv in my room."

"Oh," Brooklyn grinned. "Okay." He followed her easily and she led him off where they wouldn't be interrupted.

He glanced at her a lot during the movie, and perhaps every third time he did that, Christy managed to rub her forehead, and every other time she did that she made sure to do it really slow. She'd been here a few times, missions that required seduction worked better if the other person thought it was their idea, and while this was in no way a large seduction, based on how they'd reacted to the idea of being touched there it was a seduction.

The movie paused and she hadn't done it. Turning she saw Brooklyn giving her an odd look. "Um, did you still want," His words trailed off, and his red skin became a hint redder. "Did you still want to feel my horns?"

Christy smiled for a moment, but let it fade obviously. "But I was told it was intimate."

"It's not that bad." He gave her a hint of a smile, clearly trying for suave. "I mean, we keep it right out there, it's not like it's under a loin cloth or anything." He teased just a little.

"Well I do want a browridge of my own." Christy studied his carefully, pausing long enough to seem to be considering it, before looking him in the eye. "But you realize I'm gay right, it wouldn't actually mean anything."

"ah, no, no," He shook his head like, of course, this is nothing, but she could see his blush.

Her expression was more serious, as she took Fox's advice about this. "You realize I'm trying to make myself attractive for a reason." She watched him, "I want Demona to find me attractive, that's why I want a brow ridge. She doesn't seem into my human form, so I want to try a gargoyle one."

He frowned and looked away for a moment. "I don't know why you'd want that harpy." He grumbled under his breath.

"But I do." Christy didn't let herself defend or become upset, she spoke softly. "Can I still touch?" She asked hesitantly, trying to draw him back in.

"Um, ah, sure." He stammered and moved just a little too quickly to get closer. Christy ignored the over eager display and reached out to slowly run her fingers, as she shifted her hands to ones she knew better, along his horn, slowly moving her touch across his forehead.

His eyes closed and he made a soft moaning noise, but Christy ignored it as she took advantage of the moment. One thing that caught her eye was that he was getting a loin cloth tent, but something about how it developed was wrong. Christy had worn a penis before, played a man, and an erection rose up, but the tent was just pushing straight out in an upward direction. Christy covered her frown before he opened his eyes again, but she was starting to think the clan had something very different under their loin cloths than what she'd seen before. It just didn't move the same. Were the women different as well? Christy wondered who she could even ask, but she pushed that out of her mind and focused on creating a brow ridge of her own.

Later a grinning Brooklyn left her room, and Christy saw Fox smirking at her in the hall when she looked around, before caressing her own breasts with a teasing look on her face. Christy rolled her eyes and shifted to show Fox her new browridge, she'd altered the horns a bit and she'd let Brooklyn feel them to make sure they seemed right, it still didn't feel as intimate as they claimed. She closed the door to Fox's laughter.

…

Christy had finished moving in, and as far as Demona knew, that only entailed a few bags of things. She had nothing, it was good that Demona was giving her the apartment furnished. Tonight was a house warming/date.

Demona had mixed feelings about the night. She'd promised three dates and tonight was the last of those, but she knew she'd have to prolong that. She'd have to ask for a fourth, and the game would change with that date. In fact she needed to lay the foundation for that tonight.

Demona took off from the top of NIghtstone and started her glide to the apartment. Christy was making dinner and Demona had a good bottle of white wine in her hands, it seemed a more genuine offering than flowers at the time, but it was time to try and woo Christy. Demona found her nerves were a bit shaky at the idea, but she wanted to keep the female and she enjoyed her company a lot. It wasn't just that she was a valuable ally anymore, but the fact that she was an ally made her irreplaceable. Demona was going to see if she could make this work. Perhaps just a little intimacy would be enough. Perhaps Christy wouldn't need more. It was unlikely, but Demona was hopeful.

The garden lights on the penthouse were on, and Demona smiled a little when she noticed that Christy had a corner of the outside garden filled with dirt and plants ready to be planted. It looked like the female was going to fix up her garden, a hint to some real roots being placed. This was not a temporary living situation and Demona found she liked the evidence that Christy saw that.

As she approached the glass doors she could see Christy cooking in the kitchen, her light green skin more apparent with the odd one piece she wore. It was a little surprising to see Christy as a gargoyle, while just sitting alone in her home, but Demona smiled at the image and knocked on the glass door, getting Christy to turn and look at her.

"Come in, come in." Christy smile and put some spoon down on the counter, before walking toward her. Demona slide the door open, but as she looked at Christy's face it became a struggle not to react. A dark unhappy feeling filled her as she took in the fact that Christy had a browridge now. She'd touched someone else that intimately. She took in the slightly darker green of a browridge with horns that circled back over her head just a bit.

"I brought wine." She said, but it was a struggle destroy the bottle as she recognized who Christy must have touched.

Christy was perceptive, Demona never doubted that and when the female gave her a searching look for a moment, Demona loosened her strangle hold on the wine as she handed it over. "Thanks." Christy told her softly and put it to chill. "Dinner will be ready very soon."

"You have a brow ridge." Demona found herself saying flatly, her unhappiness clear. She grimaced a little at having said it out loud. She watched Christy turn the heat down on the stove in silence, before the female turned to face Demona while leaning up against the counter.

"I'm trying to look like a real gargoyle. I needed one." Christy stared into her eyes and Demona felt uncomfortable. "My human form doesn't interest you, but it's just a form. I can have others." Christy seemed to sigh softly. "I'm a shapeshifter and I'm not willing to let my primary form be what stands in the way. You don't like humans, and I can't blame you for it."

Demona nodded just a little in understanding, but she cursed her own reactions. She'd been so obviously not interested even as she was attempting to seduce Christy to her side. That was showing how poorly she'd been doing, that Christy had noticed and tried to 'reinvent' herself to see if that would entice Demona.

"It looks very good on you." Demona spoke softer, complimenting the new look. She'd have to try harder. It was harder, because Demona had very little experience in relationships, none that could compare to what Christy wanted to develop and she'd never tried with a female. It made it difficult to know how to act, how to proceed. Males and females pursued each other very differently, and Demona had no idea how it worked with two females. When she'd chosen Goliath things were very different and they were clan, and not strangers getting to know each other. When she'd gotten involved with Thailog it was a mistake, but he'd been charming and manipulative. Neither relationship prepared her for this and Christy was also raised human. Demona had never cared enough to learn the courting behavior of that species.

It was less than ten minutes and they were seated at the dining table with dinner. Before Demona could think of a good compliment to give Christy, because she wanted it to seem like Christy's gargoyle form was working to gain her interest, Christy spoke up and stunned her into silence. "I talked with the clan and they aren't going to get in the way as we deal with the Quarrymen."

"What?" Demona stared at Christy, stunned. Goliath agreed to sit back and let them murder, blackmail, and frame the quarrymen? That was impossible.

Christy gave Demona a hint of a smile and it was so confident, so sure, and slightly mischievous. "I explained how important this was, and that it would need to be dealt with quickly and decisively."

"And they agreed?"

Christy's smile faded and her expression was very serious. "I explained how we'd be using just the right level of force for this. I explained that if there was a way around killing someone we'd do it, but not at the risk of our mission and that we would be killing some people." It was hard to wrap her mind around the fact that they'd get to deal with the threat and not have to watch their backs for the clan. "It is a matter of degrees with them, they can accept that some death might be necessary in theory and I'm keeping them out of the action so they don't have a kneejerk reaction and change their minds. To make sure that sticks and we don't have another battle we will only kill the most dangerous, the ones that need to die, and then only in a way that doesn't turn them into martyrs." Her words got softer. "We're going to do this. It's going to work."

It felt like her heart had stuttered, and Demona felt some stinging in her eyes as she realized that she wasn't going to have to fight the clan to save it anymore. "Well, that's good." She managed to mutter quietly. Christy let her stay silent for a while and Demona struggled to deal with the emotions she was feeling. "You're very good." She whispered, amazed at what Christy had already accomplished.

"Thanks." Christy smiled at her and Demona found herself smiling back, genuinely. She noticed how Christy had fangs in her smile, like a real gargoyle and for all her powers a smile on Christy's face, an honest one, was transformative. She was a very attractive female. Demona realized that if she wanted to push for a fourth date, she'd have to say something, and Christy was making it a little easier.

"You make a lovely gargoyle." Demona spoke softly, taking in the way Christy's eyes moved to study her as soon as she said it. Demona gave the female a soft smile. "I may not like that you are getting far too intimate with the clan to do it, but your brow ridge is very attractive." Demona felt a small victory when she noticed she'd made Christy blush. "I wish you'd asked me instead, if you were going to do that." She admitted quietly, and found it strange that she meant it. It was far too intimate a touch to give someone casually, and if Christy needed a browridge that badly, Demona would have preferred not to have her going to Brooklyn for it.

They talked a bit about Christy's plans for the quarrymen, and it was interesting to see she'd laid the foundation to start infiltrating them weeks ago, that Christy had a plan to be invited to a meeting already. It was fascinating to hear how Christy had a phone number and a plan, all from a chance encounter when she was buying her cell phone. Demona took a deep drink of her wine glass and didn't fight the pleased anticipation she felt at knowing this one threat would be eliminated soon.

"I feel like that luck spell you said you were under was actually caste on me." Demona told Christy after the third glass of wine. "Together, we'll be unstoppable." She smiled widely at the thought and when she reached for more wine, realized they had finished the bottle she'd brought.

After that, since dinner was done as well, they moved to the living room. Christy found another bottle of wine. It didn't affect her, and Demona had a magical resistance to such things that meant she could drink a lot and still be ready for battle.

"It's been two hours." Christy spoke softly and Demona could see it was an important comment to Christy. "You honored your promise, three full dates." Demona blinked as she realized what this was about. Christy looked resigned, a little unhappy. "My help with the quarrymen, with anything to do with your people, is not dependent on us dating. I would do it regardless. My friendship isn't conditional on a romantic relationship."

Christy was clearly ready to go on, but Demona interrupted her. "So I plan the next date then?" She had to hold onto Christy, and despite her words, dating her was the strongest link Demona could get with the female and Demona would try it. Things were going so well now, she didn't want to change things and have them fall apart.

"You want another date?" Christy asked, and it seemed like Demona might have surprised her. Demona smiled at the female, sure that now was the time to make a move.

"I am willing to give it a try." Demona admitted quietly. "We share goals, and I enjoy your company." She didn't add that she couldn't even imagine having sex, couldn't even guess as to what that would entail. "I like you, and I want to spend time with you." She smiled a little, surprised at how honest that statement felt to her. She started this farce of dating for a reason, but that plot wasn't foremost in her mind at this moment. Maybe wanting to want really was enough.

Christy's smile at that comment, the hint of joy, made Demona's heart ache. How long had it been since anyone wanted to spend time with her for any reason, but clearly this odd female from another world did. "Good, I'm glad. I like you just as much as I expected to." It felt good to hear that.


	6. Chapter 6

Demona was finding it very difficult to plan a date, more difficult than it was before and as the third night after their last date came and she still had nothing she was starting to feel like it was a test she was failing miserably. If she put it off too long Christy might think she wasn't serious and the female had other offers, Demona was well aware Fox was waiting in the shadows to do what Demona was unwilling to. Christy also got a few appreciative looks wherever they went, so she had options, so many options of women willing to do 'that'. Demona had to compete while still not wanting a physical relationship with the female.

Well, she wasn't completely against being physical. She was just not prepared to be sexual. The idea of helping Christy learn how to do wings like Demona's gave her a strange pleasant tingling in her shoulder blades, and the idea of just leaning up against someone on a lazy Sunday afternoon while reading the paper seemed acceptable, an easy sacrifice to make to keep the female content. The idea of putting her mouth anywhere was off putting, and from what she'd read that was the primary means of lesbian sex. Really, with her fangs, oral sex was a bad idea in her true form, even if she could get over her disgust at the idea. Gargoyles did not do oral sex.

Maybe a lazy Sunday was a good date, simple, relaxed, Demona thought as she considered having Christy in her living room on a Sunday morning to read the paper and watch a movie. It was so laid back, it was so simple, that it wasn't really a date at all, but it would give Demona a chance to see Christy again, since a real date idea wasn't coming to her and then the next date would be up to Christy. She could see what Christy found a proper date after the deal was over and work from that. Demona smiled as she committed herself to that.

….

Saturday hate rallies in the park, Christy fought to not roll her eyes as she walked up to where Rodney said he'd be after Castaway's talk. She'd called her quarryman recruiter, the number she'd been holding onto for almost a month, and told a believable 'horror story' about a gargoyle in an alley and her newfound belief in monsters.

Rodney was so very happy to have a potential new recruit to share he walked her around and introduced her to all his recruiting friends. It was three hours worth of work on a Saturday morning, but Christy had names, some numbers, and invites to other meetings. She knew how this worked, the build up hysteria meetings were one level, and once someone looked properly motivated the 'what do we do about it' meetings would start, where criminal activities would come up and from there she'd be moving up into a tighter, more militaristic group of quarrymen that would be the ones that really needed to be dealt with. Organizations like this were like an onion, Christy thought with some dark amusement. The layers just got more pungent and caused more tears the further in you went.

There were likely safeguards on who got to the core of these groups, and time was a factor, so Christy was going to have to be 'assaulted' by a gargoyle at some point to explain the expansion of her 'hate' and the reason she'd be so easy to push through the layers.

She stayed in her 'quarryman' form, a woman with features different enough from her own that there wouldn't be odd questions, for several blocks after she left the rally. The subway gave her the opportunity to change back.

Her phone rang as she took the stairs back to the streets and Christy smiled a little when she saw the number calling.

"Would you be willing to come by tomorrow? I have the day off and we could watch movies on my TV." Demona spoke quickly and Christy could hear some nervousness in the offer. It was surprisingly cute. Demona hadn't even said who she was, but there was no mistaking her voice.

"What time?" She asked casually as she moved around some businessman who had slowed down.

"Come for breakfast?" It was an unusual request for a date, but Christy got the directions and promised to be there.

…..

Demona felt wound up, almost as if ready for a battle, as she waited for the cab to finish coming up her long driveway to drop off Christy at her door. The thought of a breakfast date seemed wrong, absurd, and she glanced at the meal she had waiting for them with a frown. She needed to be better at this if she hoped to keep Christy's interest and Demona rarely felt so disappointed in her own schemes and plans. This was the move of friendship, not a romantic gesture, what had she been thinking? Giving Christy breakfast after a night of passion was a romantic gesture, doing it without the night of passion might just remind the female that Demona wasn't having sex with her. This was poorly planned.

The cab came to a stop and Demona stood still a moment, watching Christy step out of the vehicle from the window, before she took a deep breath and moved to the front door to let her in. Poorly planned or not, it was all the plan she had now and she'd have to make it work.

"Good morning." Christy smiled at her and the knot in Demona's stomach started to ease with the evidence that Christy seemed relaxed and unconcerned.

"I made breakfast." Demona offered with a smile of her own and watched with just a little amusement as Christy inhaled just a little stronger, taking in the scent of the meal sitting on the breakfast table from the door. If Christy smelled anything, her senses were better in her form than the human form Demona was currently wearing. Demona took notice of the warm looking coat and moved forward after closing the door. "I could take your coat."

Christy's mysterious smile was confusing. "Actually you couldn't." The female gave her a teasing smile and the coat faded into her body. "Any clothes you see on me are actually part of my body." The smile became somewhat wicked. "I'm naked all the time. Shapeshifters have to be."

Fighting a blush, Demona just led Christy toward the breakfast table without a word about what Christy had told her.

"I started working on my in with the Quarrymen. It might take a little while to get to the big fish, but perhaps you could help me with that." Christy said after dishing up a plate. Demona paused in her own dishing up to stare at Christy, giving her full attention. "I might need a gargoyle to attack me in a few weeks. Something that would make my switch to 'militant' make sense. Something with a witness or two from the Quarrymen, but nothing anyone could prove to the city at large."

"You want me to attack you so that they bring you to Castaway?" Demona frowned at the plan being discussed. "I may hate humans, but I tend to only bother with them individually when they attack me. Killing them one by one just isn't a good use of my time." If the cover didn't seem realistic Christy could be captured and Demona didn't want to risk the female on a flawed plan. Castaway was insane, but not stupid.

"Good to know." Christy had a thoughtful look on her face. "We'll need a better cover then. Damn." Demona didn't like that she'd upset the plan so she thought about how to make what Christy wanted work as they ate.

Shortly after finishing breakfast Demona spoke up. "If the clan is really with us on this, it would make more sense for you to be caught in the crossfire of a battle between us." She didn't like suggesting that, but she understood that time was valuable and they weren't in a position to know how bad things were yet. Getting Christy in place fast was important.

"That could work. Humans were always pissed when the battles popped up around them in my last world. I could make that work." Christy gave Demona a hint of a smile and Demona felt a giddy glee at having such a strong and experienced ally. "It probably would be better not to have the whole clan. I'll see if I can get one or two, not Brooklyn. I don't think he can keep in fake."

"Broadway isn't going to be able to be convincing." Demona added. Christy just nodded to that, like she already knew it.

"How do you feel about Goliath? Or," Christy grimaced and gave Demona a slightly guilty look, "Angela?" Demona froze at the sound of her daughter's name. "Angela is probably the better actor."

"I don't know if Castaway knows who she is to me." Demona spoke slowly, not wanting them to choose Angela. "If he does it will be obvious that we set that up." She took the dishes to the sink and lowered them in slowly. "I know Goliath and I have been seen fighting by enough humans that it wouldn't seem suspicious."

"Okay, I'll ask him if he'd be up for this." Christy's words felt strange to hear. Working with the clan gave Demona a feeling like this was unreal, but she just nodded and let herself focus on what this day was supposed to be about. She had to develop a level of intimacy with Christy that would keep Christy with her. Demona felt a sick nervousness in her stomach that she'd long since outgrown, a feeling she had before battles as a hatchling.

"I've got a selection of movies." She turned to Christy and refocused their attention, while leading Christy into another room, with two chairs and a couch. When Christy chose to sit on the couch, Demona fought her inclination to choose the chair and sat beside the female, before reaching out for the remote control and tapping the stack of movies she'd placed on the coffee table. "What would you like?"

…

Christy continued to focus on the computer screen in front of her even as she heard the redhead's footsteps move up behind her. Data about the Quarrymen filled the screen as Christy worked to determine where their money flow came from. She planned to slow that flow to a trickle and if any of these people funding the bastards were in positions of public power she was going to destroy their reputations.

"So how was the big breakfast date?" Fox asked. Christy was used to blatant flirting, so the hand that caresses her shoulder as Fox looked at the screen Christy was working on didn't really surprise her.

"It was nice." Christy didn't elaborate on how Demona seemed to watch her more than the movies. It was possible to feel the power of Demona's thoughts and Christy wished she were a telepath so she could know what was running through the gargoyle's mind. "We watched movies and just spent some quiet time together." It was something couples did, but just not so early in the relationship.

"You know, I'd make you earn breakfast don't you?" Fox's voice dipped into a deeper sultry tone. "And you'd love every moment of it," Fox leaned in and whispered into Christy's ear.

"Cute. Do you know this guy?" Christy pointed at a picture on the screen. She had another half hour before sundown, so she wanted to get her hit list finished before she went to talk to Goliath. Maybe if she mostly ignored Fox's flirting the redhead would stop.

"That's Castaway's brother. He isn't hunting anymore; he's had a change of heart. It came with that wheelchair he's in." Fox leaned back out of Christy's personal space. "The Canmores attacked the clan when they lived over the police station. Only John got away from the police. Their sister is in prison and Jason was seriously injured. John is more than making up for the lose of his family at his side by creating the Quarrymen and using political power and not just weapons."

"Okay, I'll leave Jason alone for now, but I'm not going to ignore him. He may be in a chair, but I've known some very dangerous men in wheelchairs and I'm not turning my back on this one. Can we get a tail on him while I'm working on John? The hunter in Jason might wake up when I start going after his little brother." Christy sighed and looked at the paper in front of her filled with names, before turning to really look at Fox. Fox was becoming rather valuable in this even though she wasn't going into the field with Demona and Christy.

The redhead wore a red shirt and jeans, along with intense eyes that studied the page in front of Christy. "Don't read it, you need plausible deniability," Christy teased.

"I assure you, I can act surprised if the police come to ask me if I'm involved. I was a mercenary before Alex was born." Fox moved forward and leaned a hip against the desk as she stared at Christy instead of the page of research. "That's a list of some influential people. Do you need help getting access to them? David and I do belong to the same social circles, after all."

"I have no trouble gaining access to people," Christy smiled darkly as she said that, "but I won't turn down help." Her hand moved the mouse to shut down the browser and end her research session. "What kind of mercenary were you?" She asked, thinking that perhaps Fox might be useful in the field. She seemed level headed, which was a lot more than Christy could say about any of the gargoyles, other than Angela and apparently using Demona's daughter wouldn't go over well with anyone so she wasn't an option.

"Mayhem and theft. I wasn't an assassin."

"Shame," Christy watched Fox's lip twitch into a smile as she said that. "Sounds like you were a bull in a china shop. Did you have any subtlety?"

Fox's smile grew and her head shook side to side. "Criticism, I tell you I was a hired thug and I get criticism for not being bad enough. You bruise my ego in so many ways." Christy smiled as Fox patted her hand. "So, breakfast? Do you think next time she offers that it will be after a night of hot sex?"

Christy smirked and trailed her eyes over Fox slowly, "Spend much time imagining that, do you?" She knew it was an awkward idea for a date, but Demona was new to all of this. If Fox needed to tease anyone, Christy was glad it was her and not Demona. With a sigh, Christy said, "Can we head out to the clan? I have something I need to ask Goliath."

"Trouble?" Fox's teasing lilt disappeared.

"I have a plan to get promoted into the Quarrymen's militia." Christy said as they made their way outside. It was a breezy night and the clouds obscured the sunset. Tucking her list of names into a pocket, Christy waited for the gargoyles to wake up.

# # # # # #

The detective's glare seemed a permanent part of her expression, and not directed at Fox specifically. Fox took a slow sip of her tea and watched Elisa pace across the kitchen floor. The warm mint was supposed to be a nice wind down to a busy day, but the agitation the detective brought to the room ruined that. Christy had pulled Goliath into the training room to prove to him she wasn't too fragile for the plan she'd suggested, leaving Fox to entertain the detective.

Fox would really prefer to see how Christy planned to prove she wouldn't be in danger in the crossfires of a gargoyle battle, but she understood why Christy wouldn't want Elisa in the room with them and so she kept the detective away. "It's just a fake fight with Demona. Christy isn't asking him to go up against any Quarrymen directly. Even if she had, it isn't like he hasn't fought them before."

"It isn't that." Elisa stopped pacing and gripped the back of the barstool. Her fingers went white with the strength of the grip. "This is the start, asking for his help. If she gets them too involved it could easily backfire and put the clan in the middle of war they can't win."

Lowering her cup, Fox stared into Elisa's eyes. "Get them too involved? Did it escape your notice that she isn't a gargoyle and she's taken on this fight for them? Is it too much to ask that they help save their own asses detective?" The glare on Elisa's face focused on her, so Fox gentled her words, "She's just trying to save him, save them all."

"By breaking so many laws I should just lock her up on principle before she does it," Elisa's shoulder's slumped. "I should lock her up. I should, and I'm just sitting here and letting her plot an assassination."

"Oh," Fox set her cup down and paused. "Are you feeling a little dirty detective?" Clearly this was a moral dilemma occurring in front of her. Fox wasn't overly familiar with these things, as she had more flexible morals. For the detective it must be painful. Elisa Maza was always such a white knight. David was very good at corrupting people and he'd never succeeded with Detective Maza, but Christy walked in and the world changed for the clan and therefore Elisa.

"I'm not a dirty cop and this feels too close to selling my badge to the highest bidder."

"I'll admit I haven't tried to think of any other plans. This one speaks to me. It's havoc and results all in a sexy assassin bundle," Fox said and gave Elisa a pointed look. "Did you think of any other approach?" Elisa didn't have anything to say, but then Fox didn't think she would. "The law is a nice idea, but as you can see it isn't infallible. It isn't even logical all of the time."

"She's going to kill Castaway," Elisa pulled the chair away from the counter and sat in it heavily. "She's making the clan an accessory to murder and I can't say it's wrong. But it is wrong and I'm letting her get away with it."

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen. You remember that you arrested me once right? You want my advice about morality?" Fox chuckled for a moment, but something about the slump to Elisa's shoulders showed her this issue needed to be resolved. Elisa could ruin everything if she had a crisis of faith "I think Christy is right, that this is a war. What she's doing is essentially keeping it from growing by going after the leaders rather than the soldiers. I'll admit that when David woke the clan I was more interested in testing my skills against them then helping them, but I didn't want to kill them."

"You weren't a killer, but this makes us all guilty because we know what Christy is after."

Fox hesitated before she shared something depressing, "This clan is one of less than a dozen in the world as far as we can tell. It isn't sustainable. You and I know some of the last gargoyles that will ever walk this earth if we can't come up with a solution. Christy was right, because the numbers won't work out to keep them around for two more generations unless we do something. David is working to hire some more reputable geneticists to look into solutions. Right now we can't afford even one more death, let alone the massacre that Castaway is working for."

"She's already killed in this world and I've looked the other way for the clan. How many murders will I have to ignore?" Elisa asked quietly, and Fox didn't answer her. It wasn't the kind of question with an answer.

# # # # #

Christy watched an old woman pull off the lid of a garbage can and glance around before bending over the can to stare inside. One dirty hand reached into the container and started to push items around. It was a tragedy in Christy's eyes. The woman looked like someone's friendly grandmother, but with frayed clothes and sad eyes. She was a scavenger, and Christy could relate all too well to that.

The night was quieter on the edge of Central Park than near Times Square, but it was clearly city sounds that interrupted her thoughts; the sound of cars and far off sirens proved the woods weren't a real wilderness.

Walking away from her bench on the edge of the park, Christy crossed over to the homeless woman. If that old woman stayed here the scare might kill her. "Ma'am," Christy said as she approached and watched at the woman's frail looking body tensed.

"I'm not loitering, I'm just looking for… I lost…" The woman's voice was soft and shaky as she struggled with a lie before even turning around to face Christy.

"Are you hungry?" Christy asked gently and reached into a pocket to pull out a bill. "We can do better than the hotdog man's cast offs." She smiled gently and glanced down at the fifty in her hand, before holding it out for the woman. Christy wanted her to take the money and run.

Christy put the money in the woman's hand. "Go get something warm." She spoke gently. The strong grip of her hand and the grateful watery smile was worth more than words, so it was fine that the woman didn't stick around to talk. She took the money and rushed off, hiding it in her bra rather than her purse.

"We are in place, where are you?" Demona's voice called through the small earbud Christy wore.

"One minute out," Christy said as she made her way off the well-lit path and into the park. The jogging outfit explained her actions to anyone watching her and she ran to get in place. The signs pointing the direction to the zoo helped her navigate the turn.

They'd learned that one militant quarryman worked at the zoo and he should have just gotten off of work. Christy had followed his motions for a week now, and he was a jerk with nicely predictable patterns. He'd walk down this path somewhere from five to ten minutes from now.

Christy found the rock she wanted and jogged up to it. She positioned herself with one leg up on the rock and leaned into a stretch, while pushing the water her body was made of to the surface of her skin, causing a thin sheen of sweat. It looked like she'd jogged for miles, rather than just the short trip she'd made from the parks edge.

Demona stared down at the zoo beneath her as she glided in circles high above it. She noticed Christy in position and moved her circles to around her ally.

"Christy assures me that we cannot hurt her," Goliath's deep voice reminded Demona that she wasn't alone in the air. "I did insist she prove it to me."

"I know she can take care of herself." Demona rolled her eyes and let out a long breath as she watched the zoo's employee entrance. This couldn't come soon enough, she wanted to get this over with. "She is very resourceful. Don't hold back, Goliath, because I won't. This needs to be real or it won't work." His voice had been softer, more thoughtful, and she felt awkwardness in his every word. If he kept up with his soft thoughts he wouldn't attack and that wasn't good. "If this human has any doubts about Christy he will need to be killed and I'll enjoy ending his pitiful life."

Goliath's eyes hardened and he pulled away from her another wing span length. "So eager to kill, Demona? Will you honor Christy's plan to leave most of them alive?"

"If Christy's plan works," Demona said and turned away from him to watch the zoo entrance again. "Only if her plan works." The door below opened and a man in an army green jacket stepped out. His hair was black, like their target. Demona's focus switched to him and she changed her angle to get a look at his face. He was looking down, so he didn't see her but she recognized his facial hair as a match to the picture she'd been shown. "If you pull your punches I will leave you broken on the sidewalk for any human to finish killing you. Christy needs access to Castaway and we are getting that for her. If she needs to turn in your dead corpse for that, so be it."

Goliath just growled in response. It was loud and Demona dove down with her large ex chasing her. Letting out a loud war cry she circled up and over him, kicking him hard on the back and shoving him down to the ground. Goliath's body broke a few bushes and slammed into the trunk of a tree just feet from the rock Christy stood next to.

"Shit!" Christy's voice rose and Demona ignored her, knowing that nothing like this would startled that warrior. It was an act for the audience who Demona was willing to bet could hear them, but not see them just yet.

"Demona!" Goliath yelled, and the male sounded like a bad actor. Demona grimaced and landed near him. She knew him better than the random Quarryman did, so hopefully it would look convincing. Goliath's punch was slower than it should be, and Demona blocked it easily.

When Goliath opened his mouth to talk again, Demona screamed to keep him from saying anything and then lashed out faster. It forced Goliath to fight for real after she used her claws to give him a six inched slice to his chest.

A feminine scream interrupted their growling as Goliath kicked Demona backwards. The grey of Christy's jogging pants showed up in the dark and Demona watched Christy move with more grace than Goliath was showing, dodging Demona's body.

It was a show, but Demona smirked as she watched Christy's wide eyes and fast breathing. She looked like a frightened prey animal. Christy only had a remote resemblance to her normal form.

"Over here!" a deep masculine voice yelled and Demona looked just as Goliath punched her. The pain radiated across her cheek and her head was whipped around so she couldn't see the man grabbing Christy's arm and pulling her away from the fight. It was enough, so Demona ran for the trees and climbed for enough altitude to run, Goliath on her heals.

"Oh god, did you see that? I was almost killed!" Christy's voice was shrill as it filled the night air. Demona grinned wickedly as she rose up above the park, Goliath still in pursuit.

The wind whipped at her harder as she neared the tall buildings, but it wasn't hard to land on the roof. Goliath's loud footsteps proved that she hadn't lost him. "Not bad. I believe that man was fooled." Goliath said and Demona turned to look at him. He stood with his wings folded and his arms fidgeted from being crossed in front of him and then to his sides, as if he wasn't sure where to put them. "She dodged admirably."

"She is a warrior." Demona crossed her arms and stared at him. The truce was still in place, but their mission was over. She wanted to continue on to Nightstone, but didn't want him following her there.

"Have you seen her fight?"

"Briefly," Demona let out a long breath and stared up at the stars as she debated about what to say now.

"She wishes a romantic relationship with you." Goliath stammered like a youth and Demona blushed. She looked away so he wouldn't see her reaction. "Why have you not told her that it isn't possible?"

"Why wouldn't it be possible?" She continued to stare up at the stars, her heart pounding. She needed to be convincing and perhaps a bit hurtful. She wasn't letting him ruin what she had going on. "She is an amazing warrior and intelligent. We share similar values. Isn't that the basis for something?"

"She is a female. You aren't like that."

"How would you know?" She turned her head and stared into his eyes. "She is everything I could need."

"But what about something you could want?" His words drilled into her mind, causing a headache. "If you can tell me you want her I will never say another word about it…"

"Well, I do." Demona spoke coldly and stepped up onto the building ledge. "And I don't want to hear what you have to say on the subject."

"It is cruel to play with someone's affections." She could easily hear old hurts in his voice. She'd played him at one time. "MacBeth was one thing, but she is a real ally, Demona. Do you really want to mess that up?"

"I'm not messing up anything." She jumped off and glided away, leaving him on the roof. She wasn't messing up anything; she wasn't changing anything. She was keeping Christy.

Once she was in her office, she slammed the door behind her. The cracking of wood made her grimace. "Great, now I have to replace that." She muttered as she stomped over to the desk and sat down heavily in her office chair.

Her phone didn't ring for hours and Demona faced the sun and her transformation into her human form without hearing from Christy. The longer that went on, the more worried she became. Did it not work? Did they suspect Christy of trying to trick them? Goliath had been hopeless and false; did his poor acting get Christy into danger?

# # # # #

Shortly after being dragged back into the zoo by the 'well meaning' quarryman, Christy was left alone in the exam room while he called someone. Christy sat on the cold steel slab that served as the zoo veterinarian's operating table for the larger animals while holding a warm cup of coffee in her hands. The murmur of voices shouldn't have been easy to hear, but she had enhanced her hearing as much as she could to catch the phone call.

"Those beasts were near my work! They almost killed a woman out here, because if that girl couldn't dodge like a prizefighter she'd be dead." Christy fought a smirk at the compliment. She'd needed it to look close and so she'd pulled out a little of her "A" game to show she had some potential, just a little of it. "She said she'd been to one of our events and I think she might be good new blood."

A muffled voice from the phone was harder to hear and Christy struggled, but she didn't catch anything that made sense, just parts of words.

"She has a gun in her purse. I think she might know how to use it, but the beasts were just on her too fast," he said. Christy glanced at her purse on the counter and then focused on her coffee again. So far things were going according to plan. She just needed an invite to the next level of Quarrymen meetings, the action group.

Her coffee was nearly gone before he came back. "You know, some of the zoo animals are more nocturnal. Did you want a behind the scenes tour?"

Christy took a long sip of her coffee as she debated what she could say. A woman shouldn't agree to that offer with a man she just met. As far as she could tell they were nearly alone in the place. It would be normal to say no and worry that he might attack her, but he was stalling her for a reason and she was willing to bet that sticking around would be good for her mission.

With a hint of a flirtatious smile, she set her cup down. "That sounds like fun. Do you have any big cats?"

"I do. I also have a lot of cool canines." He held a hand out to help her get off the exam table she'd been using as a chair. His hand didn't fall off of her arm once she was standing and Christy didn't like the direction this mission was going in, but she didn't shrug his hand off of her.

His hand did slowly fall off her as they left, but Christy endured an hour long tour that included his guiding her by resting his hand on her lower back or gently tugging on her arm to get her from nocturnal animal to nocturnal animal.

"These are natural animals. Those beasts we saw tonight shouldn't even exist. I'm at least grateful they are drastically nocturnal and kids don't have to see them often," he said as he relocked up a pen full of wolves.

"They sure as hell are more dangerous than anything you've shown me tonight." Christy agreed and waited as Thomas struggled with the lock. "That purple one, the male, is going to give me nightmares for weeks." Christy kept a dark tone to her words. "Anyone would have nightmares."

His reaction was to wrap an arm around her shoulder. "Don't you worry. Those monsters might be here, but they won't be here long. They don't belong around decent humans." Christy let him walk with her in that position for several steps, before he moved to take her hand. The idiot acted like this was a date and Christy didn't dare correct him. This angle might be too useful later.

"I wish I'd remembered my gun when they were there, but I was too busy trying not to get clawed to death." Christy's eyes widened. "I have a permit to carry. I'm not doing anything illegal."

"Are you a cop or something?" Thomas asked and finally Christy had an opening she could use.

"No, I'm a single girl living in New York for the first time. I didn't want to be defenseless. I didn't expect that there would be worse than muggers out there."

"You know how to use that gun?"

Christy smiled, "I sure do." He already mentioned her gun to someone over the phone, this was her ticket to the next level. "Too bad Central Park doesn't have a gun range, or I could show you. I'm pretty good. I hit what I aim at."

"Well, we don't have one here, but I have a friend with a place out of the city. We go over there for target practice once in a while."

"That sounds great." Christy wanted to offer to go over there right at that moment and prove her skills, but she held back. "I used to practice at my uncle's farm. It was great on nights when I couldn't sleep. He slept like the dead and lived far from anything."

"You a farmer girl?"

"No," Christy leaned into him and smiled. "I was just stuck staying with my Uncle Jeff during summer break. I think my parents were afraid of what I'd get up to if I was home alone all day," her voice dipped a little deeper and she grinned at him. Her smile faded. "I kind of wish I was staying there now. I can't imagine I'll get any sleep tonight. Shooting something would feel better than just locking the windows and hoping those beasts aren't hanging off of the outside of my apartment building."

They walked in silence for a while, heading back to the building they'd started at. "You know, I could see if John would be willing to let me borrow the range tonight, if you want to get a few shots off."

Christy smiled when he offered her that. She was pretty sure John would be Castaway, the leader of the Quarrymen. She leaned into Thomas when a breeze came through the zoo. "I'd like that."

They didn't expect to get this far tonight, but fast progress was better than no progress.


	7. Chapter 7 new content 103016

Demona answered the phone as soon as it rang. She could hear her secretary in the front office on the business line and about to send a call to her business phone, so she pushed it to voicemail at the same time. "Christy?"

"I'm back at the apartment," Demona thought Christy sounded tired. "Phase one done. I played sharp shooter for Castaway. Hopefully I'll get a call soon for further recruitment. I was dropped off at Fox's safe house apartment though, so I'm going to have to live here now. He'll probably send someone to watch over me before he invites me in."

Christy had told her this would probably happen before, but Demona didn't like it. She couldn't visit that place, they all needed to steer clear of it so they didn't compromise Christy's cover. The thought of not seeing Christy for more than a few stolen hours while this was going on didn't sit well with her at all. She'd hoped it wouldn't start this soon.

"If you need anything please ask," Demona said, but she would prefer a frontal attack to this drawn out method Christy wanted.

"Will do," Christy let out a loud breath. "I need to get some sleep. I can swing by my place for dinner if you want to meet up." What Christy didn't say was that it would likely be the last time for a while that they could do that.

"I'll see you then." Demona hung up and then stared at her phone, before turning to her work phone and the blinking light that told her she had business to attend to. "Be safe." She whispered, and then tried to lose herself in the daily business of being Nightstone's CEO.

She wanted an ally that could handle herself, and Christy was a very capable warrior. Demona stamped forms for filing with more gusto than needed. They would end the Canmore threat once and for all, long before the quarrymen hurt the clan or Angela. She slammed her hand down on the stapler hard to push it through several sheets of paper. Christy would be fine.

That night Demona picked up Italian on the way to Christy's penthouse apartment. She'd left work early enough for it to be daylight when she arrived just so she could do that.

When the door opened it was Christy's real face there. She was in human form and her smile eased some of the tension Demona had felt clawing at her all day. "Tell me you have lasagna." Christy said as soon as she saw the bag. "I haven't even started cooking. I thought we were meeting after sunset."

"I have lasagna," Demona said as she walked by Christy and into the kitchen. "I also have time to eat before changing, if we get going now."

"Sure thing."

Just as they sat down an unfamiliar cell phone ring interrupted them. Christy didn't look pleased to hear it and she pulled out her phone. "You better be quiet for this one, no matter what you hear. This is my contact." Christy then got up and took a few steps away before answering. Her voice was different. Demona watched her back as Christy took the call.

"Hello?"

"Yep, it's me," Christy said and Demona frowned at the tone and voice that wasn't really Christy's style. This was a quarryman on the phone.

"Wednesday night let me check." Christy took a few more steps away from her and Demona strained to hear the other end of the phone call, but her human ears weren't that good. "I could do that." Christy had only pretended to check a calendar. "I'm in apartment 505." Christy smiled, Demona could see it as the woman shifted position. "Me too, it'll be fun. See you then." That smile faded the minute Christy hung up.

"Meeting Castaway already?" Demona asked and Christy turned to look at her.

"No, Thomas. He's interested and if Castaway doesn't invite me in properly Thomas is high enough in the chain for me to get information."  
"Interested?" Demona stood up from the dining table. "No, Christy tell me you aren't thinking of that." Christy's old allies might have thought it was okay to make her fuck the enemy for information, but Demona would never ask that of her. She had to close her mouth and fight back bile at the thought of it. "Please, no, never do that here."

"It's a solid plan B." Christy's expression was closed off and Demona moved quickly to grab her by her shoulders and shake.

"No, never here. You will never have to sleep with the enemy again. Never again. Do you understand me! You are worth far more than that." Demona's voice softened and she let one hand caress Christy's hair, "No, you don't need to do that for us. There are other ways, always other ways. I don't want these monsters touching you. Promise me."

"Even if lives are at stake?" Christy asked.

"Even then." Demona would never do that, and she'd never ask that of Christy. It didn't matter if Christy had done that before in her last world, she wasn't doing that here.

Christy's eyes were glassy and she leaned in, giving Demona a gentle kiss on the lips, a soft peck that froze Demona long enough for Christy to pull away. "Okay, I promise. I'll string him along and give him nothing. I'll find a way."

Demona had trouble following their conversation after that. Christy outlined a few plans based on what the quarrymen did next and Demona added her opinions, but the fact that Christy hadn't even questioned if she should sleep with the enemy bothered her. Demona wanted to crush the last Canmore and all of the humans working with him, but the cost might be more than she was willing to have either of them pay.

# # # # #

Two nights later Demona got a call a few hours after sunset. "Demona, I need help moving a body." Christy said. Demona gripped that phone harder. "We need to fly her out and I can't do that."

"What happened?" Demona asked, because Christy still had another day before she started interacting with that damned quarryman again.

"Ran into an opportunity. Just lucky. I'm setting up the DA for a fall. I've drugged her and have about an hour to get her to another location. Look, I can tell you everything after, but I need someone to move her now and I don't want to spend forever convincing the clan this is a good idea."

Demona got directions and left her house for the city. She found Christy and Fox Xanatos on the roof of the building. "There was a party, and when Fox realized Margot here came alone she called me," Christy started explaining even as she opened the stairwell door and picked up the unconscious DA. "I snuck in as part of the wait staff so I can leave as her."

Fox added, "I found out about a temporary brothel for the rich and famous running a few blocks from here. That's where you need to deliver her." Fox chuckled and Demona's eyes widened. "They have men and women working there so it'll be up to Christy how much of a scandal she wants to cause, but Christy will sneak her into a bedroom there. The police are already planning a raid on the place, so you and Christy just need to get there first."

Demona smiled, "Well, I'll see you there." She picked up the troublesome DA, got directions, and took off. It took Christy a bit longer to get into position, but after a half hour of waiting a look alike for the woman by her feet opened the rooftop stairway door. "Got a room, got an escort, and now I just need the client."

Demona stayed on the roof. From there she had a great view of the action below. The police escorted the city's DA into the back of a paddy wagon, along with others who that had been soliciting the prostitutes in that building. The DA looked groggy and horrified. For once, Demona saw her without her cellphone to her ear as the police kept her hands cuffed behind her back. Maza held the door open for the group with a scowl on her face. It wasn't clear if Maza was in on this mission or just happened to be here.

The door opening behind her startled her, but when Demona looked back she saw Christy step out. "Do you think the charges will stick?" Demona asked.

Christy gave a dark chuckle. "Yes, everyone saw her walk into that place under her own power and order a lovely dark skinned prostitute to teach her how to relax properly. She also said a handful of racist things that would be unforgettable to the people working here." Christy walked up beside her and looked down at the flashing lights below. "Oh look, the press got my phone call." A warm hand rested on Demona's back as Christy leaned forward to see the chaos they created. "Wow, she'll have to fly right if she keeps her job, because everyone will be watching everything she does for a long time now."

Demona chuckled before saying "I don't think she'll keep that job long." Castaway's influence with this DA wasn't going to buy him any benefits now.

"Thanks for delivering that package," Christy said as they stepped away from watching the disaster below. Demona felt a giddy victorious feeling and pulled Christy into a hug. They'd destroyed a powerful enemy tonight. This victory fell into their laps. This was far better than the evening working on budgets she'd had planned.

"We should celebrate," Demona offered with a wide smile.

"Wish I could, but I needed to sneak back into the apartment building, because I have a quarryman tail on me tonight. I have to take them on a late night jog and give them something to report."

It took a lot of effort not to follow Christy back to the staged apartment to make sure she got there alright knowing that the enemy was outside her door. She did patrol the park, but she couldn't find Christy jogging or the people who would have followed her.

# # # # #

Elisa called and demanded Christy come debrief the clan, and since Christy had a 'date' with Thomas she put it off until Thursday. That meant she had to put Demona off until Friday. That call to the gargoyle made it clear that Christy had some work to do with her. Demona sounded upset with the cancellation and Christy didn't want to ruin all the hard work she did to get Demona interested in her by neglecting her now. It was hard because Christy was just so damned busy.

On Wednesday she giggled at Thomas's jokes, leaned in to him as they walked and kissed him a number of times, but she pulled back at anything more than making out. He wasn't pleased, but she played the 'good girl's don't' card and said it was just too soon. At the end of the night he clearly wanted an invitation into her apartment and she made a date for the weekend instead. Through all of this Christy noticed they had a tail, a tall man that followed them from the restaurant and sat in a car across from Christy's building.

In her real form, Christy slipped into the elevator at Xanatos Enterprises a half hour before sunset Thursday night. Fox met her in the castle courtyard, along with David. "We've got our scientists lined up. We should start work in a couple more weeks."

"That's good." Christy said and then looked over the stone gargoyles. They didn't have much longer to wait for them to awaken, the sun was already starting to set. "Are you basing them here?"

"Here and an off-site warehouse. We're going to investigate cloning more heavily than altering the current gargoyles, it seems less risky." Fox looked over Christy's form, lingering over the leather pants. "You're looking sexy tonight," she smiled as she said it.

Christy shook her head and grinned. "Why thank you." She then ignored the hungry looks to gaze out over the city. She could hear the elevator opening and suspected Detective Maza was here. "Did Elisa know you borrowed that information about her raid?"

"No, I just overheard her talking about the bust before heading to the party." Fox smiled. "We might want to keep the work we did with the DA to ourselves. She's in the middle of a crisis of faith."

Christy watched Elisa walk up to Goliath's stone form without noticing them. "Is she going to be a problem?" Christy whispered as she studied the detective.

"If you did anything about it you wouldn't win any friends here." Fox's teasing smiles were all gone and Christy didn't like the look of suspicion on her face. Sure, Christy knew the best thing for the mission was to silence the cop, but she also knew it wouldn't help with her end goal of creating a life here at all. No, it just meant she had to be more careful with Detective Maza.

"I'm not going to kill the cop, so don't look so concerned." Christy sighed at how tentative this alliance with the clan was and looked toward the sunset. The clouds covered most of it. "Let's just keep her in the dark when I have to kill people."

"Probably a good idea." The cracking of the gargoyles day forms and the roars made any further conversation impossible. The clan only came out at night.

Elisa finally noticed them out there. After the quick greetings with the clan they were ushered inside and David joined them for the demanded debriefing.

"So, what have you done?" Goliath asked.

"I've shown off my shooting skills to Castaway and I've been in contact with one of his top men. They've followed me around on two occasions, so I'm under investigation right now. I'm hoping to get an invitation to the big boy party soon."

"That's not a lot yet, Lassie," Hudson frowned as he said that.

Many of the gargoyles looked concerned at the lack of progress. "This is an infiltration job, and they take time. This is what I do, trust me with this."

"How far in are you?" Detective Maza asked.

"I'm living at the safe house, and I'm 'dating' one of the senior members of the Quarrymen." Christy said.

"Dating?" Angela looked sick, she wasn't the only one with that disgusted curl to her lips.

"I'm a spy, and I can handle this. It's just my plan b if I don't get an invite fast enough. It's very PG. I promise." She didn't add that she'd planned to do whatever it took, because the clan looked very relieved to hear it wasn't going in that direction. It was nice to not be expected to sell her body to save people.

"So you haven't done anything else?" Elisa asked her eyes narrowing.

"Not yet," Christy made sure to lie properly, "If things don't move in another week I'll push them along, but the less I have to do that the better." She looked around at them. "I don't know the schedule I'll end up with, so these debriefings need to be my call in the future."

"We need to know what you're doing." Elisa crossed her arms in front of her.

"Do you really. You aren't even helping." Christy said to the Detective, but the guilty look on Angela's face caught her attention. "I've got this. I'll tell you if I run into issues, but this is a hurry up and wait game right now."

"Well, at least things got a little easier. DA Yale was arrested a few days ago and she's under investigation. They found evidence of a few contributions from Castaway. Things aren't looking good for her." Elisa's report made Christy smile.

"Luck strikes again," she said and shared a brief glance with Fox.

"That seemed unreasonably lucky." Elisa spoke slower and her eyes stared into Christy's when she turned back to the detective.

"I know, Annie was a miracle worker at times. I didn't think her power share would be that good for me, but I want to keep moving and see what that spell can really do." Christy kept a somewhat joyful expression on her face and Elisa's suspicion seemed to die away.

David Xanatos leaned forward in his chair, and that alone gained him attention. "We've hired some of the best geneticists in the world and we're about to open up a genetics lab in this building."

"Again," Detective Maza scowled. A few gargoyles squirmed in their seats.

"They will need samples to work with and I've taken the liberty of retrieving the last clones' bodies."

"What?!" Goliath roared and stood up, so Christy stood up as well since she was between the clan leader's side of the table and David's.

"Sit your ass down!" Christy spoke coldly, her hand slamming on the table to compensate for the fact she couldn't yell. "We need to know what went wrong or we're going to make a bunch of poor little babies that never get to hatch. This is what desperation leads us too, buckle up, this shit show is just starting."

Things got quiet around the table as Goliath didn't sit down and his eyes glowed in anger that he shared between her and David. Fox, by virtue of not saying anything, wasn't part of this confrontation. "This is wrong, desecrating the dead."

Christy barely managed to not give a dark chuckled to that. She'd heard these words before. "If the dead can help us live, wouldn't they want that? Shouldn't we do that? They are gone, but they have the chance to be heroes even now." Her mind filled with the dead of two worlds ago, but she believed this just as strongly. She knew that the dead and dying would give for the clan just as her own had given for the tribe.

Goliath's shoulders slumped. "They have no say in this. We'd hoped a cure could be found."

"Perhaps one will be. We aren't destroying them in this. We can determine if they really are dead." David said, but Christy was going to talk to him later about perhaps destroying one of them. Thailog was a danger and the risk of him coming back was worth a little accident.

"Very well." He looked defeated as he sat back down.

"But," Broadway said, but a dark look from Goliath stopped him from finishing that thought. Elisa rubbed Goliath's arm on the table.

"Okay, so anything else?" Christy asked. There wasn't. Christy slipped out of there earlier than planned but she'd already cancelled her night with Demona.

She switched her form back to her cover while getting out of the subway. A block from her temporary apartment she noticed the Quarryman tail had showed up outside of her place again. Thomas was in the car with him, so something was happening. Christy pretended not to notice but she could hear the car doors open and close across the street as she passed their sedan.


	8. Chapter 8

Demona took a hard turn around the skyscraper in front of her, eyes burning red as she caught a glimpse of the castle in the distance. Christy had cancelled tonight because Maza demanded an update, as if she were in charge of Christy. This was her mission that Christy was helping with and having that human butt into things was an obstacle they didn't need.

Now Demona had a night off she hadn't planned on and an urge to beat someone bloody she couldn't do anything with. The new alliance was tentative at best, if she showed up at the castle it might not hold and Christy's hard work would be ruined.

The dark stretch of Central Park lay surrounded by the cement and steel of the city and Demona turned for it. It wasn't a perfect solution, but no one would complain if she found a thief or two to pummel. She'd have to imagine they were Maza.

It was late and the woman jogging along the central park trails was an idiot, Demona thought as she watched the female continue onto poorly lit paths, not noticing the man waiting for someone to mug. Demona didn't wait for the attack to happen, she dove and grabbed the man by his knife wielding hand and jerked him up into the air with her.

They glided off the path, his shout of shock startling a noise out of the jogger. Demona swung him forward as she landed, smashing his back up against a tree trunk. To her utter dissatisfaction, the crack of his head hitting the wood silenced him and he didn't get back up.

"We normally wait for them to attack." A deep familiar voice behind her filled Demona with dread. "But good job. I'm surprised you're patrolling, Demona."

"Goliath." She didn't turn around to see him right away. Instead she stared at the still human slumped on the grass. "I thought you had a meeting with Christy." She turned to face him.

He grimaced, "It wasn't as informative as I'd hoped. It didn't take too long."

"She's playing a long game. There are faster ways to resolve our issues with the Quarrymen." She smirked when that earned her his narrowing eyes. Upsetting him was getting to be fun, because he was as impotent as she was in their little alliance. He'd have to just take it if he wanted Christy's help.

"Why are you patrolling?" Goliath asked, not taking the bait. Demona let out a huff of irritation.

"I needed some exercise," she lied, knowing that he wouldn't believe that. "So where did she go?"

"She returned to her cover. Something about possible surveillance and believable daily life."

Demona nodded and distracted her attention to the human on the ground. Christy would have called her if the meeting was short, at least kept her informed. She let out a slow breath and clenched her jaw.

"Don't pressure her too much for results. I don't want her getting careless and ruining the entire mission." Demona grumbled, watching the human breathing. He wasn't dead.

A soft flapping of wings as Goliath caped his and the sound of a footstep drew her attention back to her ex-mate behind her, but she didn't turn around. "Do you think that's a problem?"

"No," Demona turned to glare at him, "What I think is a problem is what she'd do for us if she felt it wasn't going fast enough. What she'd do to herself." Her voice waivered on the last word and she had to turn and glare at the human again, to put her wings up as a shield between herself and Goliath.

"I see," he said after a long pause, his voice soft and quiet.

"She needs to be in shape to complete the entire mission. If she compromises herself she won't be at her best." Demona grimaced when Goliath's large hand rested on her shoulder and he squeezed it gently.

"I hear these things take time. I will not push her if you think that it is unwise." It was odd to hear him capitulate so quickly and that soft tone of his voice was one she hadn't heard in a very long time. "How are you doing with her away so much?" His question confused her.

"None of your business." Demona turned and launched herself at the nearby tree to get some distance. From the top of the branches she jumped to catch the current and glide away. Unfortunately Goliath didn't take the hint that the conversation was over and his large wings unfurled next to her just a minute later.

"I was patrolling the Park, but company would be welcome," he said, his voice grating on her. "There is more than enough crime, sadly."

"Patrolling alone is stupid, Goliath. The Quarrymen are hunting us."

"I needed time to think." He glided a little closer, his voice carrying to her easier through the winds, "She challenges me and it is difficult to work with her. Her morality is," his words trailed off.

Demona gave a thin lipped smile at that. She knew exactly what he meant. She knew better than he did, because Demona knew Christy's past. "What has she done?"

"They are experimenting on the clones," Goliath's words wiped the smile from her lips, "to see why the process didn't work. When I objected I think her eyes glowed."

"Why would she experiment on the clones? She isn't a scientist." Demona turned to stare at Goliath's face. She'd known him since they were both hatchlings and it wasn't hard to catch the alarm in his eyes.

"I am not a part of that mess and my opinion is clearly unimportant to them." Goliath looked out at the woods around them, searching for a distraction. It was a move he'd tried on her countless times during their marriage. "I believe we will find some criminals in the lower loop."

"Goliath," her voice came out a growl. "I will kill the next criminal we find if I don't get an answer. What is happening?" The wind currents pushed him away several feet as he stared at her, judging if she was lying. She wasn't.

"You two truly deserve each other. Your morality is no better." His insult did nothing to her, she knew how he felt. His morality was what killed their clan after all, so his lack of action was the bigger crime. His pause was an obvious clue there was much more to this. "Xanatos is trying to find out what went wrong. She isn't the scientist, she just supported their plan to use them, to use gargoyle dead, in that way."

Use the dead, that phrase alone proved to her that whatever was going on, Goliath wasn't lying. Christy was doing something she thought Demona would object to and she kept quiet, just like she did in her home world when she didn't tell her own people what she did with the dead in that world.

In spite of the spells keeping her immortal and in her prime, she could still feel sick. Her stomach rebelled at the thought of what was happening in that castle. Christy's past gave her horrible visions that rivalled the carnage she saw the day after the Vikings destroyed the gargoyles while they slept. She imagined the rubble of the dead under microscopes.

But Goliath would never allow that to happen, Christy might, but he never would. He wouldn't be here complaining if the horror was that bad. Goliath landed on a building across from the park and Demona followed him. His serious eyes and the way he scanned the horizon for others told her that the alliance was real in his mind and he was about to trust her with something. He was a fool, but she'd take any information she could at this point.

Castaway was a dangerous man, and Christy had seen many like him. Men who used hate to elevate themselves to power and surrounded themselves with bigots like themselves. Men who claimed to be doing God's work, or doing the right thing, by taking rights, or lives, from others. Men who created such a fervor of hate for those different than themselves that it took on a life of its own. It was hard to stand in front of the display going on, but she was being elevated to a more trusted position than she thought she could achieve this quickly. The people near her, mostly men, were all openly armed with weapons. This was the truth of Castaway's movement, not the man he portrayed to the media.

Tonight was a test, and Christy was glad she didn't know ahead of time. If she'd told the clan what she was expected to do tonight they would have tried to stop her. She needed to fit in, and if she could keep this night a secret forever she'd prefer it to admitting she was about to attack innocent humans who believed what she did, that gargoyles had a right to live among them.

They piled into the back of three vans and Christy did her best to mirror the emotions around her, the excitement and the eagerness to please. She didn't touch the visible malice of the more sadistic in the back of the van.

They weren't dressed as Quarrymen, they were going to claim it was random thugs. That was a poor plan, but Christy wasn't hoping for success in this mission so she didn't point that out. Random thugs wouldn't be in matching black outfits with matching masks.

Detective Elisa Maza stood in front of the broken windows looking in to the remains of the bar. The banner declaring it a P.I.T. event. Her teeth clenched as she took in all the evidence she needed as to who did this, but knew it wasn't enough to take the Quarrymen down. Paramedics moved around the room, as people lay in between tossed furniture.

"Nothing good on the cameras, they all wore masks." Her partner, Matt, told her as he fell into step with her. "If we can't prove a link to the gargoyle issue they'll take this case from us."

"You know it's linked, you know who did it." Elisa stopped and turned away from the bar so other cops didn't see her face. It was nearly impossible to rein her anger in, but eventually she managed.

"We've got something." One of the beat cops said as he came out of the bar. "Someone left a calling card." He held out bagged pin and when Elisa got closer the familiar hammer logo made her smile. "Quarrymen."

"Oh, not so careful this time were you Castaway." Elisa thought and nodded to the beat cop that they did good work. "Don't touch anything else, wait for forensics." By the book for the entire thing now, she wasn't risking this case.

When the gurney came out with a sheet over the face of some poor good Samaritan Elisa stared after it. "How many?" she asked the cop following the gurney out of the bar. She hadn't even considered lethal force was used.

"Two, and lots of injured."

This was a murder case now. "Don't touch anything until forensics gets here," she demanded. "Tell everyone. We've got a suspect, don't screw it up."

It was nearly dawn when Elisa left the scene. She felt drained as she parked in front of her apartment building. Following a few eye witness statements, forensics might have some blood from the attackers and a wallet, complete with ID for at least one of them and a phone from another. It was insane that Castaway's people would be this sloppy. It was too lucky.

Lucky. She sat back in the driver's seat, her hand falling off the key she'd be in the process of pulling out of the ignition. Was this Christy or Christy's claimed luck power? People died, where the hell was Christy during this?

She pulled out her phone and tried to call Christy. No answer. She dialed Matt instead. "What do we know about the attackers?"

"Still processing evidence, you know how this works, Elisa," he sounded just as tired as she was.

"Anyone with anything distinguishing, anything that stood out?" The Quarrymen were mostly men at the thug level, a woman would stand out even in all black with a mask.

"I'll let you know when I've gotten through all the statements, get some sleep because once you come in to the precinct we will be very busy."

"Sure thing," Elisa said and then hung up, but she didn't get out of the car. The sun was above the horizon and she couldn't call the clan about her suspicions now. They had the ID of at least one of these bastards and she'd pump him for information about the others. She had to know if Christy really would stand back while someone killed people. Did she do it to get in good with Castaway? Who had the clan gotten involved with? What had they done letting her lose?


	9. Chapter 9

Christy ripped the medical tape with her fingers and pulled the free piece off. She pressed it against the dark dusting of leg hair to hold the bandage on. "Thomas, this doesn't look good. You should go to the doctors," she told him quietly, hoping no one would contradict her. It looked exactly like what it was, a stab wound. It would be great to have a hospital report that to the police.

"No, no it's fine." He took another deep drink right out of the tequila bottle he'd stolen from the bar.

It was dawn and the zoo veterinarian office was littered with Quarrymen. They were confused by the fact so many of them were injured and Christy resisted the urge to smile grimly at how her minor actions had some results. Hopefully the detectives found what she'd pick-pocketed off of the killer and the weak link she'd found for them.

God, the bar was a disaster. Christy let out a long breathy sigh and turned to taping up Thomas' forearm. The bartender knew how to fight back and Christy mentally applauded him for that, but it had cost him. Someone else died as well, but she didn't even see that. If she wasn't being watched she might have been able to do something faster, but she couldn't. She didn't even know the name of the bastard that brought a gun when they were told to smash the place up. Aside from killing people, he might have ruined everything.

Christy had to get involved, or they'd end up with a hostage situation and her cover would be useless if it was wanted by the cops. When he aimed that gun at some sweet old lady she hit him in the back of the head with the club in her hand. She dragged him out of there while trying to come up with a good excuse for what she did. She left his phone behind so he could pay for what he did and put another nail in the Quarrymen's coffin.

The Quarrymen around her didn't seem to know what to think about her now. Her claim that they needed to leave was reluctantly accepted, but the suspicious looks made it clear that if she didn't fix this she would lose this cover anyhow and probably any chance to infiltrate this group with anything less than taking over Thomas' life. She didn't know him well enough for that to work long term.

They were waiting for Castaway, who based on the yelling they all heard over the phone wasn't happy. He'd stayed away from this and made sure to be in public when it happened, a good move on his part.

"He's starting to wake up. You hit him pretty hard." A man in the corner said while studying the shooter.

"We were told to bust a few bones and wreck the bar. Cops are going to look a lot longer now that someone died." Christy turned cold eyes to that corner. "I hit him as hard as I could." That wasn't true, she could have killed him if she did that.

"Well done then, dear," a new voice entered the discussion. Castaway stood in the doorway. "I gave explicit orders and it's nice that someone was listening. It's a shame it wasn't clear to you all."

He grilled them about what happened and Christy found her luck still intact, because Castaway was giving her credit for what she did instead of thinking it suspicious.

"Thomas recommended you and I see he is a good judge of character." Castaway walked alongside her as they left the zoo. "You aren't afraid to get your hands dirty. I heard you took down three of those traitors to humanity in the bar before things got out of hand."

"No, sometimes you have to be a little dirty to get things done," Christy told him as they approached his car. Thomas had to stay and work, which should be a disaster of its own, so Castaway was taking her home himself.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," he said and smiled while opening the passenger side door for her.

….

Demona cancelled her 9am meeting with the Human Resources department as she marched passed her receptionists desk. Her receptionist's eyes widened and she was on the phone making that call for her immediately.

Once she sat behind her desk Demona stared at her phone without reaching out for it. Goliath had a lot to say last night that she didn't want to hear. Christy had orchestrated far more than the spy work she knew about. Demona was on the sidelines of her own lifelong mission.

Knowing Christy, Goliath wouldn't have all the details either. She wouldn't trust him with them. She didn't trust the 'good guys' much. With a deep breath Demona reached out and picked up the phone. "I need Fox Xanatos on the phone. Find her," she told her receptionist and then hung up.

It took far too long to get in touch with Fox, and Demona tried Christy's phone twice in that hour. Christy didn't answer.

"Demona?" Fox's asked. Demona leaned back in her office chair and turned to stare out her window.

"I hear you're working on clones again."

"She told you?" Fox sounded more alert.

Demona's voice was hoarse as she replied, "I have the records from their creation. I can send them to you."

"She didn't tell you." Fox proved too intuitive. "She wanted results to show you first."

"I don't have the background to understand if the illness that killed the clones was on purpose or not, so be careful with the notes." Demona stared into her reflection in the window and noted how pale her human skin tone was.

"We're going to find a way Demona," Fox sounded more serious than Demona ever heard her before. "It's a solid plan."

"For an endangered species." Demona felt bile in her throat as she said that. "I heard the numbers."

"We are looking into every possibility."

Demona hung up the phone and continued to stare out the window at the buildings that held thousands upon thousands of humans. Even one of those buildings had more humans in it than the entire world had gargoyles.

What good was defeating Castaway going to do now? Demona took a shaky breath and fought the urge to find that man now and kill him. The heated need for revenge made it impossible to sit still and after another failed attempt to reach Christy Demona slammed her phone down so hard it cracked.

* * * * * …..

"I need someone to take care of a problem. It needs someone who can think clearly when things get messy. I want to know how badly you want to protect humanity," Castaway said as they sat in his condo's kitchen. He'd brought her back for breakfast and he'd been giving her a few hours of propaganda already. Lunch wasn't too far off. Christy wasn't one of his trusted, so she was pretty sure he was setting her up to be an expendable asset.

"People all need to do what they can. This is our planet, our country." Christy let out a long breath and turned to stare out his large living room windows. If only she had a wire on her right now, she was sure she'd have him. Her luck hadn't been that good. "What do you need from me?" She asked. He smiled as she appeared to fall in line with his plans.

"You are new here, and I was thinking you could use a job. One where you can keep an eye on some of the biggest traitors to humanity this city has."

"From the PIT webpage there are a lot of people who might fit that bill."

"And I've got people on a lot of them, but there are a few companies that are a bit harder to place." Castaway's words made Christy's heart sink as she realized he was setting up something big and she needed answers fast. Where were his people? Where they anywhere near the clan or Demona?

"I've been looking for work. I'm not doing that great. I don't know if I can,"

"Details. I can help with the details." He waved her concern away. And she wanted to see how he managed that.

"Sure, why not let the traitors pay me money to sabotage them?" She smiled.

"Great. I'll work out those details and get in touch with you soon."

Castaway had a driver take her back to the apartment and Christy let out a breath of relief when she closed the door behind her. "What a night." She muttered to herself before she pulled a small device out and slowly walked through the safe house. A small flashing light proved her suspicions right. Her place had been bugged while he kept her out for hours. Now the cover she had needed to be full time and she couldn't call anyone from here.

With a groan she headed for a shower and then she'd get some sleep. Heading out now would be far too suspicious.

It was a shame text messaging hadn't been invented yet, because then she could still contact the others even with the bug in the house. She'd need to head out for 'groceries' later and find a moment to call in.

* * * * * ….

It wasn't a lot of sleep, but Elisa was ready for work by lunch and she wasn't surprised to see Matt there already. "What do we have?"

"There is a warrant out for two men, but we don't have them yet. We have the video footage and we sent some blood to analysis but haven't got a match yet. I'm compiling the witness accounts, but there isn't anything too useful yet."

"So we just have video." Elisa grimaced and moved to sit beside him at his desk, pulling her chair across the walkway so she could. "Let's see it."

She should be watching for all details, but once the woman in all black with the group came through the door of the bar Elisa focused on her alone.

"You seem pretty interested in her," Matt said after five minutes of video. "Know something?"

It almost physically hurt for Elisa to respond, "No, just odd to see a woman there." Visions of her father, a cop before her, telling her about dirty cops filled her mind. Memories like that made it very hard to not elaborate on her answer, because she knew that woman and Christy must have clubbed at least three PIT members before she hit the shooter.

She did hit the shooter though, it looked like she took over at that point and got the Quarrymen out of there. "Let me get you another coffee. I need something too." Elisa grabbed Matt's cup as an excuse to get away from the video for a moment.

She'd been undercover herself a time or two, and she'd done questionable things. No one got hurt when she was undercover though, and Christy did a lot to fit in on that attack. She didn't even hesitate to break someone's leg, didn't appear to care at all. The only break in her performance was when that gun came out.

Elisa stood in front of the coffee machine and stared at the white swirl in the coffee cup for a moment too long and had to move to the side for someone else to get their own fix of caffeine.

She sat down with Matt again to see the video again, this time she tried to see if anyone else could be recognized. Once she had a moment she'd check on Christy herself and get some answers. Elisa really hoped what Christy was getting was worth this, because she felt dirty, very dirty.

If Christy didn't have anything good to say about her willingness to attack innocent humans for this cover Elisa needed to re-evaluate her position on this.

Elisa dumped the coffee as her stomach churned.

In three hours they had the man that went with the wallet and another car was out searching for the man who owned the phone. Elisa stood in front of the window watching a nervous man swallow hard as he waited for her. She was letting him sweat, letting him unravel a bit, before going in there to question him about last night. Even watching him like this she knew she could get something out of him.

"Ready?" Matt asked her and she nodded. They should get this going before the man thought to lawyer up.


	10. Chapter 10

The knock at her door startled Demona. It was late enough the receptionist wasn't in the office any longer and didn't stop Christy, as if she could have. "Hey." Christy smiled and that smile slowly fell away, "What's up? I tried to call but you aren't answering."

"Come in." Demona's eyes fell on the phone in her garbage. It was broken beyond repair. "Close the door." She had gone through the desperate calls and now she wasn't sure she was ready for this conversation at all. She needed Christy as an ally, she had to remember that in spite of the strong urge to slam that woman up against the wall and demand answers. Diplomacy wasn't easy for Demona.

Christy smiled but it faded and the concerned expression and tilt of her head proved the spy was observant. The door clicked shut and then locked. "What's wrong?"

Demona's fist clenched and she took a moment to turn and stare out the window, taking a few slow breaths. "You've been so honest about your past that I didn't stop to think about what you weren't being honest about." She could see the reflection of Christy standing on the other side of the desk. Christy took a few steps closer to the desk with a frown on her face. "You love to keep people in the dark, just tell them what you want them to know. Did you think I was too much of a wildcard?" Demona's fists clenched again and she turned to face the woman in her office. "What did you think I would do if you told me about the population issue? If you told me about the research on clones?"

"Oh," Christy said one word, one irritating word and Demona bared her teeth.

"Yes, OH… You left me out of my own war! This is my war, I've been fighting this for a thousand years and you just walked in and took over and left me out of it!" Demona stood up and her voice rose. Christy flinched, it was brief and just in her eyes, but she flinched and Demona struggled to rein her temper in, to talk this out. Christy didn't rush to explain and Demona stared at her in disbelief. "Why?" She asked again.

"I wanted results to show you first. I wanted to win something for you." Christy's voice was quiet, a sharp contrast to Demona's near yelling. "I wanted you to see we could win before I pointed out that we have another problem."

"What right did you have to keep anything from me?" Demona leaned over her desk and glared Christy down. "These are my people, this is my world, what right did you have to leave me out?"

Christy swallowed and her eyes blinked several times, but nothing came out of her mouth for a long quiet moment, "I was worried you wouldn't take it well. You have been doing this a long time and I didn't want you to be discouraged."

"So you didn't trust me, not as a warrior, not as a sister in arms. You thought you'd come into this world, the great whatever you are, and fix everything for the helpless little creatures you found here? I'm a thousand years old and you don't see me as an equal, do you?" Demona's lips curled in disgust. "Your time as a human has really corrupted you."

"I didn't," Christy's words trailed off and her eyes looked pained. "I didn't want you upset. I was trying to protect you, even if you don't agree with what I did, can you at least see that?"

"I can't look at you right now." Demona glanced pointedly to the door.

"I care about you." Christy took a step closer, clearly ready to argue.

"I need you to leave. You're my ally and I don't want to kill you, so you really need to leave right now." Demona made sure to keep the desk between her and Christy so her temper wouldn't get the best of her.

"Okay," Christy bowed her head submissively and it confused Demona. The female wasn't fighting back at all. She paused in front of the locked door, not looking back at her, "Castaway just promoted me to some solo mission. He'll give me details later. I'll keep Angela informed, you can talk to her."

Once alone again, Demona growled and threw her coffee cup against the wall. What had she done? Was this going to mess up Christy's focus? Christy just cut her out completely now.

Christy screwed up, she lied, and she proved to be as controlling as any male Demona had mated with before. She did all of that and then just left quietly. What just happened? Demona sank into her chair.

* * * * * . . . . .

Christy didn't even breathe as she took the elevator back down out of Nightstone. Her mind raced over the mission, her actions, and the abrupt end to her luck power.

"Shit," she muttered as she pushed the doors to Nightstone open and left. Once again she wasn't welcome, once again she was shoved aside. This time though Demona had a point, she did. Christy marched down the sidewalk putting distance between her and Demona.

All that work to create a relationship. Christy grimaced as she started down the stairs to the subway. Her eyes stung, and she pulled her tears into her body with her powers. "Shit." She muttered again and shook her head.

She needed to keep her head in the game and just finish this mission. Demona and the others deserved her help and if they still let her help she'd finish it. She was making progress with the Quarrymen, and Fox had the science part rolling. They only needed her to deal with Castaway and his plot.

"Hey pretty lady, smile." Some creep called to her as she waited for the subway and she flipped him off without even looking in his direction. When the subway doors opened she slipped in and people gave her space as she gripped the grab bar.

The next stop in her trip tonight was the clan. Christy let out a long breath, reminding herself to breath, once she got off of the subway in their neighborhood. The sun was just starting to go down and it would probably be another fifteen minutes before the gargoyles woke up.

Fox met her as Christy stepped out of the elevator. "I had an interesting call from Demona today."

Christy grimaced. "Any idea how…" Christy started but them stopped herself. Did it really matter? After the dressing down she got she couldn't blame the idiot who told Demona Christy was keeping a secret. Christy rarely felt as skewered as Demona's words made her feel. "Never mind. Was she okay?"

"She sent us files about the creation of the clones. The researchers are going over them with a fine tooth comb. They say it will help."

"Well, there is that." Christy sighed and started to walk for the courtyard.

"Is everything okay?"

"I don't know. My mission is going well."

"Well if you need cheering up," the redhead's teasing tone snapped one of the last bits of patience Christy had with her.

"Don't, just don't, Fox." Christy gave Fox a dark glare that removed the smile from her lips.

"Oh, if you need to talk let me know." Fox was more serious.

"The mission is going well." Christy didn't want to talk about anything else.

Another voice from the courtyard interrupted them, "So you came." Elisa Maza looked pissed. Christy let out a breath and tried to steel herself for another angry woman yelling at her.

"Things are moving and it might be a while before I can come again." Christy glanced behind Elisa to see if the sun was setting yet. "Last night was a mess."

"I know, I was called on that attack." Elisa's fingers toyed with the badge on her jeans.

"Shall we do this once? I need to get back. They bugged my place so staying out too late will be noticed." Christy didn't wait for an answer, she just moved around the detective. Fox and Elisa shared some look between them, but Christy was more focused on her destination.

It had to be Goliath that spilled the news to Demona somehow. He'd been upset and he didn't think things through. Christy's teeth clenched as she stood in front of him waiting for them all to wake up. It didn't matter, she couldn't take on a battle with him now. She just needed to stay focused on the important things.

As soon as the sun set and the gargoyles were awake Elisa spoke up. "So, you were invited on one of their attacks last night."

"Yeah, I was."

Elisa shook her head from side to side and then stared into Christy's eyes as if trying to read her mind. The tension in her body was worrying. "What happened?"

"Was it bad?" Broadway interrupted, but Christy kept her eyes on the detective.

"It was supposed to be a smash up, but some idiot brought a gun. I got them out of there as fast as I could." Christy glanced at the badge Elisa couldn't seem to stop playing with. "The phone, if you found it, was the shooters. The wallet was just one of the weakest guys I found there. I thought he might be easy to get to spill what he knew."

"You hit a few people. Broke a few bones."

"What? They weren't Quarrymen were they?" Goliath interrupted and Christy glanced at him for just a moment. She couldn't really look at him long without wanting to bring up other problems. Her fist clenched and she focused on Elisa again.

"I had to blend in, and I did just enough to keep those people down so no one else hit them. When it was all over Castaway decided to promote me, so that worked. He has a mission for me, and he hasn't given it to me yet, but what he leaked means we have problems. I can't do this alone, I need help."

Fox took a step closer, joining the conversation. "What?"

"He hinted that he has spies in many places, people watching those he expects are with the Gargoyles. He wants to set me up as one, and I think he expects my placement is dangerous and I'm expendable. I'll outshine his expectations, but we need to find his people. I'm hoping they don't have any here already, but I'm not sure where he put them. I need someone to increase security here."

"That'll be done right away," Fox said, "but we need to figure out what he's up to."

"I'm working on that." Christy returned Elisa's focused stare. "I'd check the police department if I were you, detective. The hunters placed someone there before. I need your place clean if I'm sending you criminals. We can't have Castaway warned."

"Damn." Elisa's swear startled a gargoyle or two, so it wasn't something she did often. "Okay, I'll do an investigation on my precinct. Can I warn Matt that we might have a mole?"

"Sure, if you can come up with an excuse as to why you know."

Elisa's fingers returned to her badge. It was a new tick Christy hadn't noticed before on the woman. "How far are you going to go to maintain your cover?"

"If he wheels out cool-aid, I'm going to have to drink." Christy said and Elisa's face pinched up. The gargoyles muttered around them, confused. "He's into something bigger than I expected. I thought he was mostly a thug, but for him to have spies is worrying. I need to climb that ladder and I'm not sure my luck power is with me anymore. I can't make mistakes."

"I'll… I'll look into where he might put spies." Elisa offered. "Run a few quiet background checks."

"Thank you." Christy said at the unexpected offer from Elisa to get more involved.

"What's that about cool-aid?" Goliath asked.

"It means I need to BE a Quarryman, if they need me to do something I need to do it so they don't suspect I'm working against them. I'm going to hurt good people, I'll try to not need to, but I'm not going to be able to avoid it completely." She could see this was a hard point so she added, "If I knock someone down they aren't there for another Quarryman to shoot. It's my job to be the lesser evil."

"That's a really crappy job." Broadway said.

"True, so true." Christy gave a dark chuckle. "No one ever envied me once they realized what I did for a war."

"Are you going to be okay?" Angela asked.

"I've done this before. I can do this."

"But will you be okay?" The young female pushed.

"I'll be fine."

"What about that luck? How do you know it's gone?" Goliath asked.

"I just do." Christy glanced at Goliath long enough for him to frown. He looked confused.

Angela followed her toward the elevators when she left. "How do you know the luck is gone?"

"I think I lost Demona." Christy whispered and found herself having to fight off tears again. Her powers kept the tears away, but Angela looked concerned anyhow. "She didn't appreciate my wanting to wait to tell her about the clone research. Someone else told her."

"What are you going to do?"  
"My job."

"And after that?" Angela stopped at the elevators.

"I don't know how long I'm going to be Castaway's. I can't chase her now and it'll be too late if I have to wait. Her walls were down, Angela, they were down. I'm not getting a second chance." Christy stepped into the open elevator. "I won't leave this mission incomplete, you don't have to worry about that." The doors closed and Christy let out a shaky breath.

* * * * * . . . . .

Fox watched Angela follow Christy out and was relieved someone had. Christy looked shaken, something that Fox had never seen before.

"Is she going to be okay?" Elisa asked quietly. "It looks like the mission is already getting to her."

Fox hadn't missed how Elisa's anger had melted quickly, so she didn't bring up that Christy wasn't upset about that attack the night before. Better to just let Elisa believe there was some remorse there. "I think we need to take on the Quarrymen spies for her. Let her just deal with Castaway and getting us new targets. It was never fair to make this her war. Let us know when you identify people and David and I will help."


	11. Chapter 11

Demona stood with her back rigid and her arms crossed in front of her on the Nightstone roof. Her eyes trailed over the city and the numerous buildings filled with humans. The sound of wings pulled her glare away from the large building that shadowed Nightstone for part of the day. Angela landed beside her with a binder held tight to her chest. "I offered to deliver it."

"Alone?" Demona didn't see any evidence of any of the males. "Are you crazy? Is HE crazy?"

"I had Broadway leave us alone. He went to meet up with the others." Angela pulled the binder away and the Xanatos logo on the front was overly large for their joint venture.

"Well, I found a sample of the amniotic fluid Dr. Sevarius used." Demona nodded to the box she'd rested on the roof vent. "Give it to Xanatos and see what his people can make of it."

"Mother," Angela's voice was nearly lost in the hum of the roof machinery. "You haven't asked about Christy."

"I'm sure she's doing well." Demona heart sank when she added, "Isn't she?"

"We don't know. It's been a week since she told us she was getting a mission from him and we haven't heard from her since. Elisa said it might be normal, a spy thing." Angela reached out and took one of Demona's hands. "Before Christy left she said she lost you. She was sure that this time away would destroy any chance she had to fix this." Angela's wings rustled before they caped behind her. "We all went along with her plan, because she said she wanted to protect you. Mother, she did want to protect you."

"By keeping me in the dark?" Demona's voice dropped deeper, the wound still aching.

"By giving you hope before you felt the pain we've all been feeling. She said that our entire clan would die if I did." Angela shuddered and Demona's fists clenched, unsure if a hug was even welcome. "But you didn't see her face, you didn't get to see her tell anyone about the problem with our population. I thought she looked like she was ripping out her own heart to tell us. She's harder to read than the humans, but that kind of pain can't be covered up. I think that's why father told you, not to create this wedge but to spare her from having to do it."

Demona remembered the tears in Christy's eyes when she spoke about her dead world, about knowing the end was coming and her heart ached. Christy hated the reporter that told them all about the end of the world, hated that woman just as much as Demona hated the Canmores for all the killing they did. Christy would have had a hard time giving this news to any of them.

"Mother?"

"Let's get inside before a Quarryman finds us here. I've noticed a few more helicopters out recently." Demona only paused long enough to grab the box she was giving to Xanatos before leading Angela inside.

"That pain in her eyes, it was back the last time I saw her, when she told me she was losing you. Mother, I think she loves you."

Demona's hand gripped the stair railing hard enough for it to creak and she focused on the doorway below.

"She's on this mission thinking that the time away from you will destroy whatever is left of your relationship, but she's still doing this for you." Angela's words felt like they were slashing at Demona, creating painful cuts. "She was so focused on this mission, I've never seen anything like it."

"Angela," Demona pleaded. Silence was welcomed after that and they made their way to her office without another word.

"You need to check to see if you have Quarrymen spies here." Angela said once Demona turned to face her again. "Christy found that they've infiltrated a few places. Elisa found that one is at her precinct and Xanatos has two potential spies identified in his building. They told me you need to investigate your employees' backgrounds and if you need help I'm sure Lexington will help you."

"I should be able to handle that." Demona said, stunned that the hunters might have done it again. They could have someone here ready to ruin her. Suddenly the brief walks through the halls at night worried her, because it only took a good photo to reveal what she was to the world.

"You don't have to do this alone." Angela set the binder she'd been holding down on the desk. "We are working together now, and you don't have to do this alone. Even Christy asks for help when she needs it."

"Help?" That didn't sound like Christy at all.

"The mission, she thought it was too big for just her. That's why Elisa, Fox and Xanatos are finding the spies rather than wait for her to find them. She said she couldn't do it all alone. Lex is working to check out a few other high profile P.I.T. members businesses to see if we can find more. He could help you here. I could help you. I feel like, well, she's fighting for us and I want to help."

"I'll contact you if I need help." Demona said, but she didn't think she would. Her surveillance system at Nightstone was advanced because she didn't trust the humans to not become a problem. She'd use that to help her once she found her spies and she didn't want Angela knowing how many spies she found because depending on what the Quarrymen knew, they might need to die. She didn't need the truce with the clan to dissolve right now, or debate with them about this. Her company was too important, her human identity granted her safety she'd never known, so she wasn't losing it.

* * * * * . . . . .

"Jon, I'm not a computer programmer. This job is way above me." Christy said as she looked over the position they'd managed to get her hired for. She didn't have to go in for an interview, which means there was at least one more spy in place already.

"The programming is a small part of that job and you can email it to us. I have someone who can put those things together for you and free you up to look around. He takes care of all our programming needs," Castaway told her with a smile. They'd spent a week together and he appeared friendlier, but then again so did she. Her weapons training brought her to half her real skill in front of him, aside from the bonus her powers gave her. Christy did her very best to try and be a sharp shooter, though and took his training to heart. Normally when she had a gun she was spraying bullets over a lot of people so that kind of aim was difficult.

"And Destine? I thought I'd get Xanatos or that Renard guy. Those traitors give big money."

"Trust me, Destine isn't a friend of humanity. She's just more discrete about it. Exposing her activities will help our cause." His smile would seem mysterious if Christy didn't know exactly why he was after Demona. He was sending her in without warning her of the danger.

Christy didn't want this mission, but she nodded and continued to study her new job description. It had to be Demona's place, didn't it? She was giving Demona space and now she'd be in the building while she did it. She couldn't refuse this one though, because she needed to find out who else Castaway placed there.

Bright and early Monday morning Christy walked into Nightstone for the first time in her cover identity's form. She made sure to look around like she'd never seen it before as she was pointed to Human Resources. Her meeting with Jon's contact made it clear how they'd gotten her this job. Christy smiled at the human resources guy helping her fill out employment papers.

* * * * * . . . . .

Detective Elisa Maza stood to the side of the path while forensics put their flags on any piece of garbage, or any spot of blood. In a different bag in her hand she stared down at the employee card they'd pulled off of the body. It looked like a bad mugging, but this Nightstone card proved it might be something else.

"Nightstone, huh? Feel up for a trip to see what Destine is up to?" Her partner, Matt, asked.

"It might be a coincidence. She's been rather quiet lately." Elisa regretted letting Matt know who Demona was during the day at this moment. Without that piece of information they'd be looking for a central park thug, but with it they were now getting uncomfortably close to things she didn't want Matt involved in.

"Well, then she'll be able to tell us where she was when this happened." Matt said.

He got called away and Elisa watched him go to talk to the lead forensic scientist while pulling her phone out. Her stomach felt like the acid was turning to lava and burning her. Once it was answered she had to keep it brief. Matt was starting to walk back. "Tell Angela that she has to say she visited Demona last night if Matt or I ask, most of the night. Call Demona and tell her that too, right now."

"What, why?" Fox asked as Matt gave a frown at seeing her on the phone.

"Demona needs an alibi and I don't know the timeframe. I have to go." She hung up and gave Matt a smile as he crossed the path and got close enough to hear her. "So, everything okay?"

"Yeah, they'll push the autopsy to the front of the line for me. You okay, you look a little green."

"My lunch is trying to eat me back." Elisa muttered and pulled out some antacids. She started keeping them on her now. Her stomach was never this much trouble before she met Christy.

"Who were you on the phone with?" He asked and she resisted the urge to grab another tablet.

"Fox, I needed her to tell the clan I might be late tonight."

"Ah yes," Matt smiled, "How are things going with the clan."

"Fine." Elisa pulled out into traffic and narrowly missed hitting a blue sedan. She ignored the honking. "I'm a bit worried about them. Angela is trying to mend fences with Demona again."

When they fell into silence as they made their way the few miles to Nightstone Elisa found herself moving into her own cover mode, hiding her real emotions, because she wanted to cry. She was obstructing justice now, covering up a crime. She wasn't sure how much dirtier she could be. She could imagine the look on her father's face if he knew.

* * * * * . . . . .

Christy scooted forward just a little with her back pressing into the office carpet. Her legs dangled out beyond the desk and she could almost feel the security guards eyes trail over them. The wire to the printer had been pulled and she pressed it back in and worked on the tangled wire mess under the desk to try and keep the man from tugging something lose again. Wire ties sat in a pile next to her as she worked.

A familiar voice interrupted her work. "Detective Maza, here to see Dominique Destine."

"I'll call her office." The security guard answered and Christy almost got kicked by him as he stepped over her to get the phone.

She wasn't sure Elisa would recognize her, but she kept working under the desk anyhow, slowing her work down until the cop left, a second detective trailing behind Elisa.

"Alright, that should work now." Christy smiled at the security guard and picked up her supplies before leaving. She took a detour into the bathroom to miss the detectives waiting for the elevator.

Once she got back to her office she was sent right back out to pick up a virus riddled computer in human resources. If they expected her to be able to fix that thing they were going to be sorely disappointed. This was actually a challenging undercover position, because her computer skills weren't strong enough for this placement. Castaway had his computer man, the one that was supposed to do her programming for her, create that virus and she'd just had to hit a few buttons to install it. Castaway didn't have the experience to know a bad placement or the patience to wait for a better one for her.

She brought the replacement computer, one left with Castaway's man overnight, in and the dark-haired man's eyes at the front desk widened in relief to see it coming in the door. "Okay, based on that happy smile I'm guessing this is YOUR new computer?" She teased him as she set it down on the corner of his desk.

She looked over the set up and the connections she needed to make. "So, this is going to take a while. You could take lunch or a break?"

"Oh, oh, yeah. I could leave for lunch a little early." He gave her a flirtatious smile as he stepped out of the way.

The office had a few empty desks, but she could hear the clicking of keyboards in a few cubicles back, so Christy quietly got to work without looking around. She could see Castaway's HR spy's desk from where she was disconnecting wires from a dead machine. He was the man that told Castaway this was the machine to replace, but he wasn't there today to see her do it.

She'd just gotten the new computer in place and wired up when she heard Demona's voice come through the door. "His desk should be this way."

Christy clenched her jaw and focused on the old style prompt that proved the computer was booting up for the first time. She had to test it, connect a few external hard drives. She was stuck at this desk as Demona, followed by Elisa and the man with Elisa came in.

"Can you tell me which desk is Mr. French's" Demona started to ask her but her words trailed off and she stared.

"Um, I think it's that one." Christy pointed at it. Demona stared at her and not the desk she was pointed at.

"Okay, thank you." The man nodded to her. "Did he seem okay yesterday?"  
"I don't work in this department. Computer Tech." Christy willed Demona to look away from her. Elisa was frowning at Demona's stare, but then the gargoyle finally turned to the desk she'd pointed at.

"Feel free to look around Detectives, but this is Human Resources and you need to respect that not everything is open to you."

Demona stood next to Christy's current desk as the other two started to go through the papers on that man's desk. "What are you doing here?" she said under her breath.

"Spying on you. Don't pay me any attention or I'm going to have trouble with Castaway." Christy whispered while focusing on the computer.

"Fine. That man, your work?"

"Yes."

"There is another one."

"Leave him for now or I'll be a suspect."

Demona's voice rose as she addressed the detectives. "I have a meeting, so I expect I'm free to go? You can work with the manager here. I'll send him down from our meeting."

"Yes, thank you. You've been a lot of help." Elisa looked a bit sick today, but one good thing is she didn't recognize Christy. Elisa's eyes barely glanced over her.

Demona looked back at her with a frown from the door before leaving.

It had been weeks, but Demona still looked beautiful. Christy let out a gust of air as she tried to refocus on this job.

"That fun?" The male detective asked.

"Hurry up and wait, that's IT for you." Christy muttered as she wished him away. He finally left her be when she started typing.


	12. Chapter 12

The day after Detective Maza came to her office Demona struggled to not take a walk down to the IT office and see Christy. She caught a glimpse of her twice in the distance, and Christy's new form wasn't as graceful, her walk was slightly different and didn't hold that unconscious power the female normally had.

Christy replaced computers across the company, setting up new systems for various employees. Perhaps Demona would put in a request for one in her office. There really wasn't any other way to find out what was going on. The clan still didn't even know where Christy was. Perhaps Demona should have told them, but the murder of her HR clerk was being attributed to a mugging and it was just better the clan not realize that Christy would have had the opportunity to do it.

Demona filled out an IT request form and marked it urgent. After that was sent she did her best to refocus on her regular work.

** * * * . . . . . .

Christy pulled up the work orders for the day. One marked urgent caught her attention, "Fuck," she whispered and stared at the originator listed. Christy took a deep breath and then tried to delay this. She wrote denied due to lack of materials and proper approval on the work order and returned it.

The purchase order forms came through the interoffice mail an hour later, signed with a large embellished signature for Dominique Destine.

The soft muttering of one of the other techs as he worked on the virus infested computer she'd taken from HR and the soft clank of tools from a man replacing a hard drive in the back were set to soft music that played in their work room proved she didn't have real privacy in this room. Christy got up from her desk and took a walk into the hall, pulling her phone out.

"Hello," Demona answered.

"I'm working, I can't,"

"I believe I'm paying you a paycheck now. I need a new computer. This fits with your job."

Christy glanced around and lowered her voice, "If I'm seen on your floor I'm going to have to report in. Would you like a computer that shows him everything you do? I have three of those in stock. If they hear I'm giving one to you they might even have me load a bomb in it."

The silence gave Christy time to step into the single occupancy bathroom, just in case this took too long. "Okay, no computer." Demona backed down and Christy let out a breath she'd been holding. "But I need to talk to you. Find a way."

Christy locked the bathroom door. "In person is kind of hard right now. I'm undercover. What's wrong? Did you find something?"

"I think we need to talk. You aren't reporting in to anyone now, are you?"

"I'm in a holding pattern."

"With one dead man to show for it. What else is happening that you're leaving everyone else out of?" Christy cringed at the hint of steel in Demona's voice with that question.

"I've been stealing DNA samples from Castaway to plant at a few crime scenes when the opportunity arrives. I've been going through their little Quarryman bootcamp. I had to relearn computers because I'm from twenty years in the future and I hadn't seen DOS since I was a kid." Christy rattled it off without taking a breath. "I'm not hiding anything, I'm just getting established."

"Can you tell me anything about the increase in hunting? I'm seeing more helicopters." Demona's voice was softer and Christy's shoulders relaxed.

"I haven't seen Thomas in a while. He's part of the new air crew. I could,"

"Thomas is that man that wants you isn't he?" Demona interrupted. "No, you told me you wouldn't. You promised."

Christy leaned up against the bathroom wall and watched her own grimace in her reflection, "If you don't care anymore it would be faster."

"No," Christy's heart sank, but Demona continued, "See this is why I want to see you, really see you. I don't want you doing things like that, Christy." Christy swallowed and took a shaky breath. "You lied to me, don't make it worse by lying to me again. You promised to take care of yourself, to not do those things anymore." It sounded like Demona let out a breath as well, "I still care. I don't want you alone out there like this. You come here daily now. Let me help you."

"I'm not the only spy here. I can't be seen with you." Christy tapped her hand against the wall as she thought. "I could shift and visit you like a regular appointment, a different person each day. Maybe you could pretend to work on a project that needs outside help?"

"Okay, okay. I'm thinking I have room for a 4:30 today. It's the last appointment time for the day."

"I need to make it back to Fox's safe house by 5:30 or they'll see my routine is off. No one has mentioned the bugs in my apartment yet so I'm still under surveillance."

"Okay, we'll set up the rest of the week when you get up here. Do you have a name for today?"

"Annie Darkholme."

"Okay, I'll see you soon then."

Christy washed her hands after the phone call and left as one of the women from accounting slipped into the bathroom after her.

* * * * * * . . . . . . .

Demona sat back in her office chair and swiveled to stare out the window. Demona watched the sun dip behind the tall skyscraper in the distance, casting a shadow over several building and lowering the amount of sunshine coming through her office window. For someone who lived over a thousand years without ever really seeing the sun, its absence was noticed and she missed the warmth of it.

Four thirty couldn't not come fast enough. Finally her receptionist announced that Annie Darkholme was here. An elderly woman walked into Demona's office and for a moment Demona wondered if she'd gotten it wrong and this wasn't Christy, but then she noticed the old woman's eyes. They held her own as Demona waved her receptionist off for the day and they watched her with a familiar intensity.

Once the office door closed Demona grimaced at the frail human form. "Can you change back to yourself?" The shift was fascinating to watch and Demona felt something in her chest unclench when Christy's familiar features formed. She hadn't seen Christy as Christy in weeks. "That's better."

"I've been thinking about what you said." Christy spoke quietly and didn't step closer to the desk or the chair in front of it. "And you were right. I shouldn't have taken over like I did. I'm too used to working in the shadows." Demona stood up and stepped around her desk to get closer to Christy, who clearly wouldn't come closer on her own. "I'm sorry."

Demona stood in front of Christy and studied her face, seeing nothing but remorse reflected there. Demona really didn't know what to say. She tried to remember a time Goliath or Thailog had ever apologized for something big but she couldn't. Christy had screwed up. Was it right to forgive this?

The silence was taking too long. "Just don't do it again." Demona said. "I had the Doctor's notes and the researchers needed those. You're the one that told me you didn't see everything about this world. I might know things you need to be able to finish this mission."

Christy hesitated and it looked painful when she said one simple word, "Okay." It was because of how hard it looked that Demona mostly believed Christy had learned her lesson. "I didn't think you'd forgive me."

"I haven't forgiven anyone for anything in a very long time." Demona hesitantly held her arms out to her sides until Christy tucked her body up against her for a hug. "Please don't make me regret this." Demona whispered into Christy's hair. Christy held her so tight that Demona felt bruises forming, but she didn't say anything because Christy's body was shaking. Angela said Christy loved her, and based on this maybe she did. Demona held the spy closer and rested her check against Christy's hair.

It was awkward to let go and Demona turned to stare out the window after checking that Christy's face was devoid of tears. "So, how can I help?"

"I'm not up to date on what the others are doing. Has Elisa done anything about the dirty cop in her precinct?" Christy's voice cracked before she cleared her throat and steadied it. "We need that station cleared because I want to start setting up a few of the Quarrymen."

"I hadn't heard."

Christy sighed. "I don't really know her, but she seems very law and order to me. She's about the worst of our allies for her role. I needed someone who was willing to do whatever needed to be done, who understood the big picture and was willing to work for that. I'm not sure she can. Her morality is a handicap." Demona frowned as she considered that damned human being an obstacle.

"Do we really need her? I mean on this planet at all." Demona murmured as a happy fantasy of throwing Elisa Maza from the top of Nightstone filled her mind.

"We do. She at least cares about the big goal, but I don't know that she'll be much help getting there. Can you check on her progress?"

"Okay, I'll check on her," Demona said. If Christy needed a cop that human was going to fill that role one way or another.

They set up a rough plan to get started and a few more fake appointments to meet for the week. It was hard to see Christy shift back into the old woman and walk away because for just a few minutes everything had felt normal again.

* * * * * . . . .. .

The detective kept late hours, so Demona didn't bother to glide over to her apartment until just three hours before sunrise. The apartment was dark and she slipped in the skylight with ease. The scurry of the cat drew Demona's eyes to the opened bedroom door as the gray beast sought out the safe spot under the bed.

The soft click of her feet on the floor and the drag of her tail sounded loud in her own ears, but the human on the bed continued to let out slow regular breaths.

Elisa Maza was a stomach sleeper, and one arm dangled out of the bed down toward the floor. Demona stood in her doorway a moment and just watched the detective slumber. It would be so easy to kill her, effortless really. She walked up to the side of the bed and glared down at the human. "You sleep soundly, is it because you already completed your mission?" She spoke loudly and watched Elisa's visible eye snap open. The human rolled away from her and the side of the bed with a slight scream.

Maza's eyes were still wide as she tried to kick herself free of the tangle of blankets and sheets. Demona stood and flared her wings as she watched the ridiculous panic start to recede. "Christy wants an update on your mission. Did you get rid of the cop?"

"What?" Maza said, her eyes glancing at the night table near Demona. The gargoyle allowed a small smirk as she guessed that the detective's gun was on her side of the bed while Eliza stumbled to her feet on the other side. "What are you doing here, Demona?"

Once it looked like the detective was awake enough Demona said, "Christy needs an update on your mission. I believe she's counting on you getting that Quarryman out of your precinct."

"And she couldn't just call me?" Elisa's breathing was still somewhat gasping and Demona smirked at the human whose very breath proved she was terrified. "You could have just called."

"Is it done?" Demona glared at the human and her glare grew colder at the long delay in Elisa's answer.

"I'm working on finding some proof he's working for Castaway to bring to my boss, something more firm than what I have now."

Demona growled and smashed her fist down on Maza's nightstand. It cracked and fell apart. "And will my daughter die while you try and create a case? Will Christy be caught and captured? We don't care about a trial, we need that bastard out of the way!"

"What am I supposed to do?" Maza yelled back.

"Kill him, hurt him, make him disappear. Frame him for some other crime, just get him out of there. We have a lineup of Castaway's people waiting to be taken care of and they are increasing their forces. We don't have forever for you to grow a spine. Human, if this isn't taken care of, if Angela is hurt while you debate your precious morals, I will forget about Christy's plan and kill them all and once that is done I will find you."

"Get out," Maza said through a tense jaw, her voice rose as she repeated it, "Get Out!"

Demona reached into the broken nightstand and pulled up the gun, tossing it on the bed. "I know you can use this. Get to work." She turned and left the room with a frown on her lips. If only there was a good spell to control the woman. Now Demona had to just wait and see if Maza did her job. If she didn't Demona wasn't sure what she could do about it. Threats aside, real damage to the human would ruin the tentative truce Christy had created.

At least she'd scared the hell out of the detective.


End file.
